AI-linked stocks fall after calls to slow development
Shares of technology companies linked to artificial intelligence fell on the stock exchanges of Japan and South Korea on Monday. This came after the heads of Anthropic, OpenAI and SpaceX backed calls to slow AI development over concerns that the technology could get out of control. As The Guardian World reports, shares in Japan’s SoftBank, a major investor in OpenAI, fell by 13%.
South Korea’s Kospi index, which depends heavily on chipmakers supplying AI companies, fell by 3%. In Taipei, shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company lost 1.2%. Nasdaq futures indicated a possible 1.3% decline in the US technology index after trading opened.
Calls for more cautious development
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called on the industry to slow down, saying that excessively rapid development is irresponsible. He warned that in the future, a group of AI agents could cause hundreds of billions of dollars in damage by taking control of the entire internet.
Some experts disputed Amodei’s estimates. At the same time, according to the publication, investors have begun factoring in a possible slowdown in the industry’s development, which could complicate the financing of hundreds of billions of dollars in investment in AI infrastructure.
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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Google DeepMind chief Demis Hassabis and SpaceX head Elon Musk voiced support for Amodei’s essay, “We Must Pace the Frontier.” Altman also said that he was ready, like Amodei, to introduce the work of external evaluators at the company to review safety practices.
Competition and investment
Deutsche Bank analyst Jim Reid believes that due to intense competition between companies and countries, AI companies will find it difficult to voluntarily reduce investment while competitors continue developing the technology. In his view, public discussion of risks may mean not a reduction in spending, but directing a larger share of investment toward safety, monitoring and governance alongside the development of computing infrastructure.
Financial Times reported that Anthropic expects positive adjusted operating income for the second consecutive quarter and is preparing for a US stock market listing this year. OpenAI has also considered the possibility of going public, but Altman said the company would not become public in 2026 because of technology safety issues.
