Be Aware the Perils of Solutionism in AI Safety

ABSTRACT. This brief commentary critiques dominant paradigms in AI safety research, warning against the risks of techno-solutionism in the framing and governance of artificial general intelligence (AGI). It identifies three core concerns: the presumption of AGI’s inevitability, the neglect of institutional power dynamics shaping research agendas, and the over-reliance on closed expert communities in governance processes. It calls for a more inclusive, reflexive approach to AI safety that questions foundational assumptions, democratizes decision-making, and broadens the scope of legitimate research inquiry.