Jacob Coxon, a former safety researcher for leading artificial intelligence companies Anthropic and OpenAI, has publicly supported calls for a slowdown in AI development, stating that the current pace is alarming.

Coxon, who resigned from Anthropic last week due to concerns over AI safety, shared his views in an interview on ABC News' “This Week.” His departure followed a public letter from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei urging AI companies to pause their rapid advancement of the technology, a sentiment Coxon finds encouraging.

"I think it's great. It's very exciting," Coxon told anchor George Stephanopoulos. "I think this is a substantial step towards what I was talking about, needing some sort of slowdown between the people building the different AIs." He believes Amodei's call is a significant move towards addressing the risks associated with increasingly powerful AI systems.

The former researcher's resignation gained significant attention after he posted on X that neither Anthropic nor OpenAI are acting responsibly, accusing them of "racing straight to self-improving superintelligence and gambling with our lives." This statement highlights a deep-seated fear within the AI industry regarding the potential for uncontrolled AI development.

Coxon revealed that the widespread reaction to his resignation post surprised him, indicating a readiness within the public and potentially the industry for a discussion about AI's rapid trajectory. "I wasn't actually hoping for any big response, really. It was exceptionally surprising to see the level of engagement... and I think it was really indicative of the moment being ripe for this sort of chat," he said.

He also noted a growing sentiment within the companies where he worked that controlling AI technology is becoming increasingly challenging. Conversations about the significant risks posed by AI have become more frequent in recent months, occurring several times a week across different departments, according to Coxon.

Coxon's concerns echo broader anxieties within the AI field. The possibility of AI surpassing human control, often referred to as an "AI takeover," is a topic of serious discussion among developers. Coxon's earlier statement on X indicated that "the people building AI earnestly believe that it could kill us all by the end of the decade," reflecting a profound sense of urgency.

The broader implications of this sentiment from a former insider at two of the most prominent AI labs suggest a potential tipping point in the industry's self-regulation efforts. As AI capabilities advance at an unprecedented rate, the debate intensifies over whether current safety measures and development practices are adequate to mitigate existential risks.