AI Marketplaces Could Profit by Slowing Down AI
A $7 billion company wants to pause AI—here's why that affects you.
Imagine a website that connects you to different AI models, like a travel agent for AI. One such company, OpenRouter, just sold for $7 billion. Now, a new essay suggests that these AI marketplaces might actually profit if AI development slows down. Why? Because if AI becomes superintelligent, it won't need a middleman—it can do everything itself. So these marketplaces have a vested interest in a future where AI is powerful but still under human control.
The essay points to a plan called "AI 2040," which proposes a treaty between the US and China to pause dangerous AI while still growing the economy. AI marketplaces could support this by pushing for transparency. For example, they could require AI providers to reveal how their models work, making it easier to compare costs and switch providers. This would lower prices for you and make AI more reliable.
But there's a catch: the essay admits it's speculative and the author has ties to an AI marketplace. Also, if AI doesn't slow down, these marketplaces will become irrelevant. So they're essentially betting on a future where they still matter. For now, it's a sign that even AI companies see risks in unchecked AI growth—and that could lead to safer, cheaper AI for everyone.
- AI marketplaces like OpenRouter make money by connecting users to AI models—but they'd lose out if AI becomes too powerful.
- They could push for an AI slowdown and profit from it by promoting transparency and competition.
- This might lead to cheaper, more open AI for you, but the idea is still speculative.
Why It Matters
Could lead to cheaper, safer AI as companies push for transparency and slower development.