# Michael Burry accuses OpenAI and Anthropic of using AI slowdown calls to mask growth issues

Digest AI · Business & Funding · published 2026-09-13T23:21:00Z · updated 2026-09-15T09:36:00Z

Canonical: https://digestai.news/story/michael-burry-accuses-openai-and-anthropic-of-using-ai-slowdown-calls-to-mask

## Summary

Prominent investor Michael Burry has publicly criticized OpenAI, Anthropic, and other major AI firms for advocating a slowdown in artificial intelligence development. In a series of posts on X, Burry described these calls as "self-serving" and a form of "regulatory capture," arguing that the executives are using safety concerns as a marketing strategy to build hype ahead of their upcoming Initial Public Offerings. He suggested that the push for caution is actually cover for "uncontrollable slowing growth" as the industry faces economic headwinds.

Burry, known for his role in the subprime mortgage crisis, further argued that current Large Language Models (LLMs) do not constitute Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and therefore there is "nothing to slow down." His comments join a broader backlash against AI leaders, including Sam Altman and Dario Amodei, who recently called for greater government oversight and pacing of frontier models. This stance has drawn sharp criticism from political figures, including White House adviser David Sacks and Vice President JD Vance, who characterized the requests for regulation as a "Trojan horse" to stifle competition. The controversy has contributed to volatility in AI-related stocks, highlighting the tension between safety advocacy and commercial interests in the sector.

## Key points

- Michael Burry claims AI leaders' calls for slowdown are self-serving marketing tactics to boost IPO hype.
- Burry argues LLMs are not AGI and that the slowdown narrative masks slowing growth in the AI sector.
- Political figures including David Sacks and JD Vance criticized AI CEOs for seeking regulatory capture.

## Why it matters

This dispute highlights a critical conflict between AI safety advocacy and commercial incentives, potentially influencing regulatory frameworks and investor confidence in the sector's sustainability.

## Sources

1. [‘Big Short’ trader Michael Burry slams OpenAI, Anthropic for ‘self-serving’ calls to slow AI – joining backlash](https://nypost.com/2026/09/14/business/big-short-trader-michael-burry-slams-openai-anthropic-for-self-serving-calls-to-slow-ai) (nypost.com, 2026-09-13)
2. [Should AI slow down?](https://fool.com/investing/2026/09/16/michael-burry-just-said-7-words-dismissing-ai-afte) (fool.com, 2026-09-15)

Part of the developing story: [AI Giants Face Existential Threats and Regulatory Scrutiny](https://digestai.news/thread/sam-altman-warns-ai-could-lead-to-dystopian-future-if-control-fails) (4 stories)

## Cite

Digest AI, "Michael Burry accuses OpenAI and Anthropic of using AI slowdown calls to mask growth issues", 13 September 2026, https://digestai.news/story/michael-burry-accuses-openai-and-anthropic-of-using-ai-slowdown-calls-to-mask

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