Anthropic is urging a unilateral slowdown on the development of new AI models until rigorous safeguards can be put in place—with a few caveats. In a blog post published Thursday, the company cited its own internal data as evidence that modern AI systems are nearing the point of “recursive self-improvement”—i.e., being able to refine their capabilities without a human in the loop. “AI that can build itself would be a major development in the history of technology—one that could bring enormous good for the world in science, healthcare, and beyond,” the post, which was written by company cofounder Jack Clark and Anthropic Institute lead Marina Favaro, reads. “But full recursive self-improvement also might increase the risks of humans losing control over AI systems.” The post goes on to suggest that the best way to steer clear of such risks could be a worldwide pause akin to Cold War-era disarmament and non-proliferation pacts, in which countries like the U.S.…