AI companies sued for "colluding" to slow down

Consumers filed a class-action antitrust complaint, Buist v. Anthropic PBC, N.D. Cal., No. 3:26-cv-10693, on September 18, 2026, alleging that four artificial intelligence companies coordinated to slow AI development in violation of Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act. The plaintiffs, represented by Trial Lawyers for Justice, point to Anthropic Chief Executive Dario Amodei's essay "We Must Pace the Frontier," which called for "industry-wide coordination," and seek class certification, an injunction, and a declaratory judgment that the companies violated federal antitrust law. The plaintiffs allege the coordination amounts to an output-restricting cartel that leaves subscribers paying the same prices for products that improve more slowly than competition would otherwise produce.

The four artificial intelligence giants coordinated on Saturday, according to the complaint, https://www.bloomberglaw.com/public/document/BuistetalvAnthropicPBCetalDocketNo326cv10693NDCalSep182026CourtDo?doc id=XB2DGFVVCI9HORMAMOFMINMJF4 to slow AI development when their executives publicly agreed with an essay that advocated “limits on the rate of unchecked AI progress,” as concerns about the implications of AI development grow. But the lawsuit alleges that such an agreement among competitors violates antitrust rules, specifically Section 1 of the Sherman Antitrust Act that forbids coordination to restrain competition. The plaintiffs, who are consumers who subscribe to the defendants’ AI services, are seeking class certification, an injunction against the companies, and declaratory judgment that they violated federal antitrust law. “Plaintiffs challenge only what the antitrust laws forbid: an agreement among competitors about how fast their competing products will improve,” the plaintiff said. “Congress has granted no exemption for that agreement.” None of the defendants immediately responded to a request for comment. The plaintiffs allege the conspiracy started when Anthropic Chief Executive Dario Amodei published an essay titled “We Must Pace the Frontier,” calling for “industry-wide coordination.” They said SpaceXAI founder The plaintiffs argue the coordination amounts to a classic output-restricting cartel, the complaint says. The plaintiffs allege they’re effectively overcharged and are paying the same prices for products that improve more slowly than competition would otherwise produce. “A company that slows alone while rivals race ahead loses customers, revenue, talent, and technological leadership,” the plaintiffs say. Trial Lawyers for Justice represents the plaintiffs. The case is Buist v. Anthropic PBC https://www.bloomberglaw.com/public/document/BuistetalvAnthropicPBCetalDocketNo326cv10693NDCalSep182026CourtDo?doc id=XB2DGFVVCI9HORMAMOFMINMJF4 , N.D. Cal., No. 3:26-cv-10693, complaint 9/18/26. Learn more about Bloomberg Law or Log In to keep reading: See Breaking News in Context Bloomberg Law provides trusted coverage of current events enhanced with legal analysis. Already a subscriber? Log in to keep reading or access research tools and resources.