AI safety advocates challenge the assumption that technological progress is inevitable and unstoppable, arguing for clearer definitions of what 'progress' actually means.

Critics argue that proponents of uncontrolled AI development use the phrase 'we can't prevent progress' to shut down safety discussions by conflating technological advancement with societal improvement.

The article distinguishes between 'increasing technology understanding and tools' and 'things getting better,' challenging the implicit assumption that all technological increases constitute genuine progress.

The author suggests that labeling all information and tool increases as 'progress' is a rhetorical tactic that unfairly presumes a particular conclusion in the debate about whether society should restrict certain AI development.

The piece invokes the FDA as a potential model for how technological progress can be regulated and managed without being entirely prevented, suggesting feasible pathways for AI governance exist.