AI labs' call for a 'slowdown' raises antitrust concerns
Leading AI companies have publicly discussed a coordinated ‘slowdown’ in AI development to address safety risks; antitrust experts warn that language about collectively pausing or reducing development could be interpreted as an illegal agreement to limit competition under U.S. law. Commentators suggest safer framings—emphasizing joint safety standards or using legal mechanisms like the National Cooperative Research and Production Act or ancillary‑restraints doctrine—to reduce legal exposure.