The Download: AI Doomers, Whistleblowing Agents, and De-Aged Livers
Plus: Trump has called AI safety fears a "hoax" and rejected more safeguards.
By Thomas Macaulay | September 15, 2026
This is today's edition of The Download, our weekday newsletter that provides a daily dose of what's going on in the world of technology.
The AI industry has taken a doomer turn. What now?
AI chiefs Dario Amodei, Sam Altman, Elon Musk, and Demis Hassabis are suddenly all in agreement: the latest generation of LLMs aren't safe, and everyone needs to figure out what to do about it.
It's easy to be cynical. With trillion-dollar IPOs in their sights, OpenAI and Anthropic need to reassure investors that they're the grown-ups in the room while at the same time hinting at the power of the monsters they have created and intend to tame. Calling for a slowdown does both.
Still, the vibe at the top of these firms really does appear to have shifted. But what does a slowdown actually mean, and how much should we trust the companies calling for one?
Read the full story about what could come next.
—Will Douglas Heaven