Max Tegmark
Professor · Co-founder, FLI
MIT · Future of Life Institute
MIT physicist and AI safety advocate. Co-founded the Future of Life Institute, which organized the 2023 open letter calling for a pause on giant AI experiments. Author of "Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence".
Core Positions & Ideas
AI Could Be Humanity's Best or Worst Invention — It Depends on What We Do Now
2017In 'Life 3.0' (2017), Tegmark mapped out possible AI futures ranging from utopian to dystopian, arguing the outcome depends entirely on decisions made now — before superintelligence arrives. His contribution: applying physicists' rigor to mapping the landscape of AI possibilities rather than cherry-picking one scenario.
We Must Pause Giant AI Experiments Until We Can Verify Safety
2023Co-organized the Future of Life Institute's open letter signed by 1,000+ AI researchers (including Elon Musk, Steve Wozniak) calling for a 6-month pause on training AI systems more powerful than GPT-4. The labs didn't pause, but the letter triggered global regulatory discussions and led to the EU AI Act and US executive orders.
Physics and Mathematics Provide the Right Tools for AI Safety
2024Argues that AI safety is fundamentally a technical problem that physics-trained researchers are well-positioned to solve — applying concepts like measurement, verification, invariants, and formal specifications to AI behavior. Advocates for mathematical proofs of AI safety properties, not just empirical testing.
Essential Reading & Watching
Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence
A comprehensive and accessible survey of AI's potential trajectories, written by a physicist applying rigorous scenario analysis. One of the best introductions to AI futures thinking available.
Read / Watch →
Pause Giant AI Experiments: An Open Letter
The FLI open letter Tegmark co-organized calling for a 6-month pause on frontier AI training. Signed by 1,000+ researchers. Generated enormous media attention and contributed to global AI regulation discussions.
Read / Watch →
Recent Writing (8)
Magnificent Humanity – The Pope’s First Encyclical Concerns AI
Everything you need to know about the upcoming encyclical on AI.
May 20, 2026Read original →
FLI’s President and CEO on Trump’s support for an AI ‘kill switch’
President Trump said during an interview aired yesterday by Fox Business that “there should be” when asked if AI needs […]
April 16, 2026Read original →
FLI CEO’s statement on the attack against Sam Altman’s home
Anthony Aguirre, President and CEO of the Future of Life Institute, issued the following statement in response to the attack […]
April 10, 2026Read original →
Prominent Scientists, Faith Leaders, Policymakers and Artists Call for a Prohibition on Superintelligence, as Poll Shows Americans Don’t Want It
Initial signatories include AI pioneers Yoshua Bengio and Geoffrey Hinton, leading media voices Steve Bannon and Glenn Beck, Obama's National Security Advisor Susan Rice, business trailblazers Steve Wozniak and Richard Branson, five Nobel Laureates, former Irish President Mary Robinson, actors Stephen Fry and Joseph…
March 27, 2026Read original →
Statement: Head of US Policy on the White House AI legislative recommendations
The White House published it’s long-awaited AI legislative recommendations on Friday, and it still includes a call for Congress to […]
March 22, 2026Read original →
Governor DeSantis Directs Florida State Agencies to Partner with Future of Life Institute to Shield Families from AI Harm
The collaboration will produce a Crisis Counselor Training Curriculum and a statewide AI Harms Reporting Form targeting dangerous AI companion applications
March 9, 2026Read original →
“This is What it Means to be Pro-Human” Declares Broad Coalition of Conservative, Progressive, and Civil Society Groups in Statement of Shared Principles on AI
Amid a rising backlash to Silicon Valley overreach, a remarkably diverse group from across the political spectrum announced a set of AI principles to clearly define the goals of the emerging pro-human movement.
March 4, 2026Read original →
Statement from Max Tegmark on the Department of War’s ultimatum
"Our safety and basic rights must not be at the mercy of a company's internal policy; lawmakers must work to codify these overwhelmingly popular red lines into law."
February 27, 2026Read original →
