Why They're Worried: Examining Experts' Motivations for Signing the 'Pause Letter'

This paper presents perspectives on the state of AI, as held by a sample of experts. These experts were early signatories of the recent open letter from Future of Life, which calls for a pause on advanced AI development. Utmost effort was put into accurately representing the perspectives of our interviewees, and they have all read and approved of their representation. However, no paper could offer a perfect portrayal of their position. We feel confident in what opinions we do put forward, but we do not hold them tightly. In such dynamic times, we feel that no one should be resolved in their expectations for AI and its future.