A bipartisan coalition including right-wing media figures Steve Bannon and Glenn Beck alongside AI pioneers Geoffrey Hinton and Yoshua Bengio has signed a statement calling for a ban on developing superintelligent artificial intelligence until public consensus emerges and science establishes safe development pathways. The unusual alliance, organized by the Future of Life Institute, reflects growing AI safety concerns across the political spectrum at a time when Silicon Valley-connected figures hold influential positions in the Trump administration.
What you should know: The Future of Life Institute, a non-profit founded in 2014 with early support from Tesla CEO Elon Musk and tech investor Jaan Tallinn, has orchestrated this latest AI safety initiative as part of its decade-long campaign to highlight potential risks from advanced AI systems.
- The statement demands a moratorium on superintelligent AI development until both public demand and scientific safety protocols are established.
- Notable signatories include Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, former Irish President Mary Robinson, and Virgin Group founder Richard Branson.
The big picture: This coalition bridges traditional political divides, uniting conservative media personalities with progressive tech critics and AI researchers around shared safety concerns.
- The involvement of figures like Steve Bannon, former White House strategist and right-wing media host, signals potential growing AI unease among the populist right—particularly significant given Silicon Valley’s influence in Republican circles.
- Many technology industry leaders and government officials have historically opposed such development pauses, arguing they stifle innovation and economic growth.
Why this matters: The bipartisan nature of AI safety concerns could reshape policy debates around artificial intelligence regulation and development oversight.
- With Trump administration officials maintaining close Silicon Valley ties, conservative voices joining AI safety calls may carry unexpected political weight in Washington.
- The statement represents a notable shift from typical partisan divides on technology policy, suggesting AI safety transcends traditional political boundaries.
What’s next: The Future of Life Institute continues advocating for AI safety measures, though specific policy proposals or legislative actions remain unclear.
- Neither Bannon nor Glenn Beck, conservative radio host and media entrepreneur, immediately responded to requests for comment about their participation in the initiative.
- The effectiveness of such statements in actually slowing AI development remains to be seen, given strong industry and government opposition to development moratoriums.
US right-wing media figures, tech pioneers call for superintelligent AI ban