Resolved, That Open Weight Models are a Threat to American Prosperity

​With participation by Karan Malhotra (Nous Research) and Dean Ball (OpenAI)

**For first-timers, note that this is not a 1v1 debate. The Hamilton Society model is parliamentary: attendees are encouraged to speak.**

​OPEN WEIGHTS ARE A DANGEROUS BREACH. When the frontier approaches free, capital flees. The next model goes unbuilt. Worse yet, open weight models only masquerade as democratization. When a model is built in an American lab subject to rule of law, it can be patched, restricted, or even shut down. When it's stolen and sold for pennies on the dollar, it can't be controlled at all. A nation that wishes to remain one in the traditional sense must vigorously defend the power to say "no" - we live in a world of atoms, not code, and we need a functioning system to defend life, liberty, or property. Beware of the wolf in sheep’s clothing: open weight models stand on the shoulders of giants and claim the heights as their own. Yet,

​OPEN WEIGHTS ARE THE FORTRESS. The free market is the single greatest engine of prosperity. More minds solving big problems means independent researchers can test safety claims, study dangerous behavior, and develop alignment methods before failures become irreversible. Open science and open weight models place intelligence in the hands of those who use it: people who cannot afford the frontier, researchers who can inspect internals and build defenses without the builder's permission, or those who simply wish to own the tools they use daily. Americans' survival through superintelligence cannot depend on a handful of private labs finding and fixing their own mistakes. When you rent the frontier your access can be revoked, but when you own it, it’s yours forever. Beware of powerful people arguing that OUR safety depends on THEIR control.

​This is an invite only event. Last-minute registrations at the door will not be approved. All approved rsvps will be checked at the door. Please make sure to bring your government ID to the debate. We will not be able to check you in without it.

​Dress code is strictly formal: suit and tie for men, equivalent for women. Ties are not optional.

​Dinner will be served at 6:30 pm. Debate will begin at 7:30 pm sharp with doors closing at 7:45 pm.

The debate is under the Chatham House Rule: participants are free to use the information received, but neither the identity nor the affiliation of the speakers, nor that of any other participant, may be revealed.