The AI Safety Debate: Should we pause development of frontier models?
Join BlueDot Impact's and Portal Innovations' Chicago community for an evening of sharp debate, new ideas, and real connections in the heart of Fulton Market.
Our centerpiece is an Oxford-style debate on one of AI's most urgent questions:
"AI labs should pause development of frontier models until governance catches up."
Who should attend
AI/ML researchers and engineers
Policy, governance, and legal professionals working on tech regulation
Graduate students and early-career professionals in AI
Anyone curious about AI safety and the future of responsible development
Schedule
5:30 PM — Doors open, drinks & appetizers
6:00 PM — Welcome, opening remarks, and initial vote
6:15 – 7:10 — Oxford style debate + Q&A
7:10 – 7:15 PM: Final audience vote and declaration of the winner.
7:15 PM — Final Remarks
7:30 PM — Networking reception
8:00 PM — Close
Location
Fulton Market, address shown to attendees.
Admission
FREE — RSVP required.
Pre-reading
Registered attendees must read the curated pre-reading pack before the event to help you engage deeply with the debate motion.
Only Law Can Prevent Extinction (Eliezer Yudkowsky, Apr 2026)
The Adolescence of Technology: Confronting and Overcoming the Risks of Powerful AI (Dario Amodei, January 2026)
Breaking the Deadlock on AI Governance — (Chatham House March 2026)
AI: Why We Can't Stop (but Must Steer) — (The Heritage Foundation, February 2026)
Machines of Loving Grace: How AI Could Transform the World for the Better —(Dario Amodei, October 2025)