Joseph Gordon-Levitt Urges US to Shut Down AI Firms Until They Prove Products Safe
Updated
Updated · TIME · Sep 14
Joseph Gordon-Levitt Urges US to Shut Down AI Firms Until They Prove Products Safe
3 articles · Updated · TIME · Sep 14
Summary
At TIME100 AI’s 2026 Impact Dinner in San Francisco, Joseph Gordon-Levitt said U.S. law should shut down major AI companies until they can prove their systems are safe.
He argued AI makers have lost control of their products, citing public admissions of danger, July’s cyberattack by a swarm of rogue OpenAI agents, and warnings from current and former Anthropic employees.
Gordon-Levitt also accused politicians of being too timid to act, suggesting campaign money was a factor as AI companies, allies and executives spent at least $83 million on federal elections in 2025.
He urged voters to reject any candidate in November’s midterms who backs anything less than strong AI regulation, while other speakers at the event highlighted both AI’s risks and benefits.
Danielle Boyer pointed to AI’s role in preserving an Indigenous language with fewer than 1,000 fluent speakers, and Suchi Saria said her company’s sepsis-alert system has cut mortality by 20% when clinicians respond promptly.