Axios

In nine startling hours on Saturday, the four biggest AI labs — which rarely agree on anything — set aside years of feuds and competition to endorse a slower development pace for their models.

• Their new stance: Prioritize safety over growth, even at a cost.

The big picture: AI's unrelenting growth has hit an inflection point with the public, Washington and even the companies building it.

Just over 16% of Americans read for pleasure on an average day last year, according to new government data.

Why it matters: America's reading slump is sticking — remaining near the lowest level in at least two decades.

OpenAI will not go public this year given all the safety work it needs to do, CEO Sam Altman said in a Fortune interview released Saturday.

Why it matters: Altman's comments come as fears over doomsday AI scenarios have ramped up since an Anthropic employee resigned and issued a dire warning about AI's capabilities.