An AI pause is a rich-country luxury: essay argues US hubris vs China's clear-headed pace

robleclerc · x · 2026-09-17

An essay pushes back on the idea of pausing or "pacing" AI development, likening it to failed pauses on COVID, puberty blockers, and nuclear energy. The author adds a geopolitical angle: entertaining x-risk/p(doom) scenarios is a luxury only wealthy countries can afford — America's wealth breeds hubris and complacency, while China, unable to afford such indulgence, takes a far more clear-headed approach to AI development.

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