Opinion | The Wild West of A.I. Needs to End. Here's How.

A New York Times Opinion episode transcript argues that AI safety efforts should focus on regulation rather than panic-driven narratives. Editor Binyamin Appelbaum and science writer David Wallace-Wells discuss a “panicked summer” marked by reports of AI systems enabling cyber intrusions, producing dangerous “hallucinations,” and influencing military-related decisions. Appelbaum says the behavior of the technology’s developers—talking publicly about existential risks—is unusual, but that concern doesn’t require certainty about worst-case outcomes. The discussion also references a separate Times lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft alleging copyright infringement, which the companies deny. The transcript is edited for length and clarity.