AI safety advocates debate whether "pause AI" really means "stop AI"
aaronscher · x · 2026-11-01
A debate over the "pause AI" position: critic @panickssery challenges safety advocates for lacking criteria or methods to decide when risk is low enough to resume, and for not explaining what research during a pause would prepare us for future models. Safety advocate @aaronscher responds that development should proceed only with near-zero catastrophic risk, admitting that point is likely years away. panickssery argues this shows "pause AI" is often a euphemism for "stop AI" — honest pause advocates propose 50-year pauses because they want unpredictable new breakthrough theory.
Related event: 'Pause AI' Debate: Critics Say Pause Advocates Really Want a Permanent Stop(6 posts)→