Japanese Nikkei Index drops 1.61% after AI executives warn of safety risks
The Tokyo stock market fell sharply as leaders from OpenAI and Anthropic urged a more cautious approach to artificial intelligence development.
Japan's benchmark Nikkei 225 share index declined 1.61% to reach 62,979.17 in early Monday trading. Technology stocks drove the market down following public statements from top artificial intelligence executives expressing concern over rapid AI advancement and associated safety risks. OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman announced that his company would not go public in 2026 due to these growing worries. Additionally, Anthropic Chief Executive Dario Amodei called for a more deliberate and cautious approach to future AI development during the weekend. These warnings weighed heavily on Japanese technology and semiconductor equities, which have benefited significantly from global AI investment trends. While the broader Topix index rose 0.40%, investors remain uncertain about upcoming central bank decisions regarding interest rates from the U.S. Federal Reserve and the Bank of Japan, alongside rising geopolitical tensions affecting energy transport routes.
