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Lawsuit says Anthropic, OpenAI, SpaceXAI and Google made illegal agreement on AI slowdown
CNN • • business
Key Points:
- A lawsuit filed in California accuses Anthropic, OpenAI, SpaceXAI, and Google of illegally coordinating to slow AI development, violating antitrust laws and potentially reducing consumer value for paid AI subscriptions.
- The alleged coordination began months earlier but became public on Sept. 12 when Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called for industry-wide cooperation to decelerate AI advancements for safety, with other CEOs publicly agreeing.
- Plaintiffs argue that while individual companies can slow progress for safety, collective agreements to restrain development undermine competition and harm consumers, seeking class-action status for paid subscribers of AI services.
- The lawsuit highlights challenges in balancing AI safety and competition, with some leaders advocating for government-mediated frameworks, but political opposition exists, notably from former President Trump and some Republicans who oppose regulatory exemptions.
- AI companies have not commented on the lawsuit, and while some support federal safety standards, they emphasize acting without waiting for antitrust exemptions or legislation.
