By Oluwabukunmi
More than 700 scientists, public figures, and celebrities, including Prince Harry, Richard Branson, and Steve Bannon, have jointly called for a halt to the development of artificial intelligence systems capable of surpassing human intelligence, citing potential risks to humanity’s safety and control.
The appeal was made through an open letter published by the Future of Life Institute (FLI), a US-based non-governmental organization focused on addressing the dangers of advanced AI technologies.
According to the letter, the signatories are urging for “a prohibition on the development of superintelligence until the technology is reliably safe, controllable, and supported by public consensus.”
Among the signatories are some of the most influential names in AI research, including Geoffrey Hinton, the so-called “Godfather of AI” and 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics laureate; Stuart Russell, Computer Science Professor at the University of California, Berkeley; and Yoshua Bengio, one of the world’s most-cited AI scientists from the University of Montreal.
Others who endorsed the initiative include Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, former US presidential adviser Steve Bannon, and former US National Security Adviser Susan Rice.
Also lending support were Prince Harry and Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, Vatican AI ethicist Paolo Benanti, and musician will.i.am.
The call for restraint comes as leading technology firms accelerate efforts to achieve Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) — the point at which AI matches human cognitive abilities — and potentially superintelligence, which would surpass them.
At a recent event hosted by Axel Springer, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman predicted that superintelligent systems could emerge within five years, sparking renewed debate over safety and governance.
Speaking to AFP, FLI President Max Tegmark warned that “companies should not pursue the development of superintelligent AI without an established regulatory framework.”
Co-founder of the Institute, Anthony Aguirre, added:
“Many people want powerful AI tools for science, medicine, and productivity. But racing toward smarter-than-human AI designed to replace people is dangerously out of step with public interest, scientific safety, and moral considerations.”
The letter echoes a similar call made last month by AI researchers during the United Nations General Assembly, urging world leaders to reach a global agreement on AI “red lines” by the end of 2026.
As debates intensify worldwide, the letter highlights growing concern that the rapid and unregulated pursuit of advanced AI could outpace humanity’s ability to control its own creations — with potentially irreversible consequences.
