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AI pause
A proposal that labs stop training more capable AI systems for a while, so safety work can catch up.
When a building's fire code falls behind its new floors, inspectors can halt construction until the code catches up. An AI pause asks for the same thing: stop scaling up the most capable models for a set time, or until agreed conditions are met, and use the time to build safeguards and rules. Proposals differ on who would pause, for how long, and who would check. Critics argue a pause only slows the labs that comply. Supporters argue that racing ahead makes the risk worse.
Why it matters
It is the plainest test of where someone stands on speed: whether they would accept one, and on what terms.