A field guide to AI positions

Pause advocacy

Publication dates and source age

Sources counted: 2

Newest dated source: 2026-04-05

At least one source was published within the 18-month window.

Assessed at this edition's evidence cutoff: 2026-09-15. 18-month boundary: 2025-03-15.

Some publication dates are unknown; the newest dated source may not be the newest source overall.

Publication age does not tell us whether a claim is still valid. Reading an old source again does not make its publication date newer. An update date does not establish that the passage we used was updated.

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In plain language

Calls to temporarily halt specified AI development until conditions are met. Scope, international cooperation and enforcement are central challenges, including in PauseAI’s own proposal. [1]

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Limits & distinctions

A frontier pause is not a ban on every AI tool. PauseAI’s version has no fixed end date and includes proposed controls on training and some research or hardware advances. Endorsement does not demonstrate implementation. [1] [2]

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A fuller explanation

Advocacy for a temporary halt within a defined scope. PauseAI's reviewed proposal targets training the most powerful general AI systems until safety and democratic-control conditions are met. [1]

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How it relates to the map

Toward restraint on the horizontal axis. The scope and conditions for resuming development matter. [1]

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Share this page

https://theaiatlas.org/ideas/pause/

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Sources and what we read

  1. 1. PauseAI Proposal (April 2026 version)

    Publication dates and source age

    Sources counted: 1

    Newest dated source: 2026-04-05

    At least one source was published within the 18-month window.

    Assessed at this edition's evidence cutoff: 2026-09-15. 18-month boundary: 2025-03-15.

    Publication age does not tell us whether a claim is still valid. Reading an old source again does not make its publication date newer. An update date does not establish that the passage we used was updated.

    What we read: The April 2026 proposal, including its pause, training-approval and democratic-control conditions.

    No archived copy verified · Archive check 2026-09-15

    Read the April 5th, 2026 version, including its global pause, training approvals and democratic-control conditions. Used for the movement's published proposal and terminology; its predictions are attributed advocacy.

  2. 2. Pausing AI Development Might Go Wrong. How to Mitigate the Risks?

    Publication dates and source age

    Sources counted: 1

    Publication dates are unavailable.

    Assessed at this edition's evidence cutoff: 2026-09-15. 18-month boundary: 2025-03-15.

    Some publication dates are unknown; the newest dated source may not be the newest source overall.

    Publication age does not tell us whether a claim is still valid. Reading an old source again does not make its publication date newer. An update date does not establish that the passage we used was updated.

    Read the sections on delayed benefits, uncertain duration, weak enforcement, underground development and political compromise. These are PauseAI’s own possible failure scenarios, not measured outcomes. The page includes older threshold examples; current policy scope follows the April 2026 proposal. Publication date unspecified.

Edition and machine-readable evidence

Content version 0.20.0. Evidence cutoff 2026-09-15; this does not mean every source was read on that day.

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