What PauseAI does
PauseAI is a Dutch-founded, volunteer-organized international advocacy federation pressing for a “temporary pause” on training the most powerful general/frontier AI systems until they can be built safely and kept under democratic control. The group’s proposal centers on turning public pressure into an international, treaty-based governance mechanism, including an AI Safety Agency modelled on the International Atomic Energy Agency concept. Operationally, PauseAI Global coordinates campaigns across local/national chapters, while chapters run on-the-ground activism and political engagement in their jurisdictions. The organization describes itself as committed to non-violence and frames its work as lobbying, petitions, protests, and public education targeted at governments and major AI actors. The Dutch legal entity supporting PauseAI’s main website is Stichting PauseAI, registered with Dutch ANBI (charitable) status and founded in February 2024.