Why AI Safety Advocates Are (Accidentally) Making AI More Dangerous

Here’s an unpopular opinion: The loud chorus demanding AI development slowdowns is paradoxically increasing the risks they’re trying to prevent.

The Safety Paradox

While tech luminaries sign open letters begging for AI development pauses, they’re creating exactly what they fear most - conditions that favor rapid, uncontrolled AI development by actors less concerned with safety.

McKinsey’s 2024 State of AI report reveals that 65% of organizations are already using generative AI, nearly double from just ten months ago. This train isn’t stopping, and forcing careful players to the sidelines only empowers less scrupulous ones.

The Real Risk: Regulatory Arbitrage

When responsible companies face excessive restrictions in regulated markets, development doesn’t stop - it relocates. We’re creating a regulatory arbitrage opportunity that incentivizes AI development in jurisdictions with minimal oversight.

Why Competition Makes AI Safer

Here’s the counter-intuitive truth: Healthy competition between responsible AI companies actually increases safety because:

1. Multiple approaches create redundant safeguards
2. Peer review catches dangerous shortcuts
3. Shared standards emerge organically
4. No single entity gains unstoppable momentum

The Path Forward

Instead of futile attempts to pause AI development, we need:

• Practical safety standards that don’t stifle innovation
• Global coordination that prevents regulatory shopping
• Incentives for responsible development over speed
• Open collaboration on safety research

The Stakes

According to Gartner’s 2025 CIO Agenda, only 48% of digital initiatives meet their targets. As AI becomes central to business, we can’t afford to cede its development to unaccountable actors.

The safest future isn’t one where AI development stops, but one where it proceeds thoughtfully, competitively, and transparently.

Sources: McKinsey State of AI Report 2024, Gartner 2025 CIO Agenda