TNB Tech Minute: AI Executives Call for a Slowdown

0:00This episode is supported by Anthropic, the team behind Claude. Every business wants to move faster. Few can afford to be wrong. That's why the brands you trust also trust Claude. Here's your morning TNB Tech Minute for Monday, September 14th. I'm Danny Lewis for The Wall Street Journal. Microsoft has published a provisional code of conduct to apply when training new AI models. Microsoft's new code comes as discussion of how to keep advanced AI models under human control and the possible dangers if it isn't, has created a crisis for big AI companies. And executives are weighing in. In a social media post overnight, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said companies risk losing control of their AIs amid rapid development and called for federal regulation of the industry.

0:44He also said that OpenAI may delay going public to focus on safety. Earlier in the weekend, both Anthropix CEO Dario Amadei and ex-AI owner Elon Musk called for the industry to slow the pace of AI development. News Corp, owner of The Wall Street Journal and Dow Jones Newswires, has a content licensing partnership with OpenAI. U.S. chip stocks tumbled in morning trading as investors grew concerned an AI slowdown could hit companies' expansion plans. Marvell Technology, Intel, and Micron Technology all dropped about 6 percent. And NVIDIA, the world's most valuable company, lost about 3.5 percent.

1:20In Europe, Dutch semiconductor equipment supplier ASML Holding fell more than 5.5%. And in Asia, tech investor SoftBank Group, one of OpenAI's biggest backers, fell nearly 11%. And elsewhere in tech, the journal exclusively reports that Airbnb is setting up a fund to invest in housing construction. The short-term rental company, which has long been criticized for helping worsen housing availability in major cities, says an initial$250 million investment will serve as gap financing for developments facing a funding shortfall. It will give priority to affordable and mixed-income housing projects.

1:57The program will primarily focus on the U.S., with the first chunk of money going to a 200-unit affordable housing development in Austin, Texas. Airbnb says it will also support advocacy efforts aimed at changing regulation around zoning, permitting, and building codes. That's your TNB Tech Minute. Join us again this afternoon for more. See what's next at claude.ai slash wsj.