Big Tech Sued for Secret Deal to Slow AI Progress

Four major artificial intelligence firms are now targets of a legal challenge. The lawsuit alleges that these companies secretly coordinated to slow down their own technological advancement. Four plaintiffs who pay for premium AI subscriptions are suing on behalf of many others. The case was filed in U.S. District Court in Northern California on Friday.

The alleged agreement centered on September 12, when Anthropic's CEO Dario Amodei wrote an essay urging industry-wide cooperation to slow AI development for safety reasons. On that same day, OpenAI's Sam Altman, SpaceXAI's Elon Musk, and Google DeepMind's Demis Hassabis publicly endorsed the call for deceleration. The plaintiffs argue this collective decision harms consumers by reducing the quality of paid AI services.

Legal experts say such coordination likely breaks antitrust laws because it limits competition between tech giants. The plaintiffs want the courts to either step in directly or push for a government waiver allowing safe dialogue between companies. Meanwhile, OpenAI's leadership has expressed support for federal safety frameworks without waiting for regulatory approval.

President Trump has taken a hardline stance against AI regulation, calling any attempts to control the technology a conspiracy. He announced plans for an "AI czar," though details remain sparse. His administration pushes for American AI to surpass Chinese capabilities, creating tension with lawmakers who advocate for stronger oversight.