Hundreds of public figures are calling for a global halt to developing artificial intelligence that surpasses human abilities.

More than 850 signatories, including Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak and Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, signed a statement on Wednesday urging a ban on creating so-called ‘superintelligence’ until it is proven safe and controllable.

The list features leading figures, including five Nobel laureates and two so-called “Godfathers of AI,” computer scientists Yoshua Bengio and Geoff Hinton. Companies such as OpenAI, Meta, and xAI are racing to build increasingly advanced systems, with Meta naming its superintel division Meta Superintelligence Labs.

Supporters of the ban cite risks like economic displacement, loss of control, national security threats, and potential human extinction. Former American officials Mike Mullen and Susan Rice, media figures Steve Bannon and Glenn Beck, and members of the British royal family also signed.