Tech Investor Claims AI Giants Are Using Fear to Shape Rules

Palantir co-founder and Anthropic investor Joe Lonsdale stated that efforts by major artificial intelligence companies to warn about existential risks from AI are a dangerous attempt to shape public policy. Speaking at the Reuters Momentum AI Austin event, Lonsdale criticized people close to Anthropic and at OpenAI for funding outside groups that push for stronger AI regulation. He argued that these rules could help a small group of leading companies control the industry and lock in their market power. Lonsdale said that an oligopoly controlling government policy is very dangerous, even though safety is a real concern and people must be careful how they respond to fear and regulation. Earlier this month, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, and SpaceX head Elon Musk called for leading AI firms to slow down the development of their most advanced models, warning that powerful systems could pose existential risks to humanity if safeguards fail. Despite his criticism, Lonsdale praised Amodei and Anthropic as a high-performing leader in the AI race, stating he is proud to be a small investor in the company. Lonsdale, who is 44, also backs defense technology firms like Anduril and noted that these companies will likely buy some Ukrainian defense firms. He said Ukrainian drone and defense tech firms have made rapid advances by adapting battlefield systems during the war with Russia, creating opportunities for deeper partnerships and acquisitions. Regarding AI-powered autonomous weapons, Lonsdale said they are the future of warfare, but accountability must always stay with military leaders. He noted this issue gained urgency in Ukraine and during the US-Iran war early this year, when a strike on a girls' school in Minab, Iran, killed more than 175 children and teachers according to Iranian officials, with a preliminary US military investigation pointing to outdated intelligence. Finally, when asked about being a potential candidate for a senior Pentagon leadership role, Lonsdale said his main focus is his family and businesses, though he added that anyone should consider it if a President calls and asks for service.