Sam Altman, Elon Musk and Dario Amodei want AI slowed as tech stocks tumble. Is your retirement fund overexposed?
Thomas KentFri, September 18, 2026 at 1:45 PM GMT+3 7 min read
Moneywise and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue through links in the content below.
The CEO of Anthropic, one of the most valuable pure-play AI companies in the world, has some reservations about AI.
In a post (1) to his personal website, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called for companies to slow the development of increasingly capable AI models so safety measures can catch up. After listing some of the potential future benefits of AI — including his belief that it could "cure most major diseases" — Amodei acknowledged that it also "brings risks."
Top Picks
-
Jeff Bezos backs a platform that lets anyone invest in rental homes for as little as $100 — 6 ways to build wealth like a landlord without actually being one
-
A single line on your car insurance policy could be inflating your premium by up to 30% — here's what to change
-
A record 45% of central banks plan to grow gold reserves — and many investors are following suit. Get your free gold IRA guide from Priority Gold
"Because it is such a powerful technology, these risks are serious," he added.
According to Amodei, some of these risks include loss of control over AI, severe economic disruption and even cyberattacks and bioterrorism.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman backed the proposal (2). He also said in a separate interview (3) that OpenAI, another giant in the AI space, wouldn't go public in 2026, calling it an "ill-advised moment" given the industry's safety challenges.
Additionally, SpaceXAI founder Elon Musk offered what appeared to be his concise endorsement (4) of the proposal on X: "Dario is right."
After the calls for a slowdown, AI-linked shares fell worldwide (5) on Sept. 14. Nvidia fell 3.4%, while major OpenAI investor SoftBank Group plunged nearly 11% in Tokyo.
That sell-off exposed a vulnerability hiding in millions of retirement accounts: Even investors who have never deliberately purchased an AI stock may have a sizable portion of their savings riding on the technology's continued expansion.
Your index fund may contain more AI exposure than you realize
Owning an S&P 500 index fund spreads your money across hundreds of companies, but it doesn't divide that money equally.
The index is weighted by market capitalization, giving its largest companies the greatest influence. For instance, Nvidia alone represented roughly 8% of the State Street SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (6) as of Sept. 11. Apple represented another 7.4%, followed by Microsoft at 5.6%.
The fund's 10 largest holdings accounted for approximately 38% of its value. Most are heavily involved in developing AI, supplying its infrastructure or incorporating it into their businesses.
Imagine you have a $100,000 retirement portfolio and 60% is invested in an S&P 500 fund. Based on an 8% Nvidia weighting, you would indirectly own about $4,800 of Nvidia through that fund alone.
If you also hold a technology ETF, growth fund or Nasdaq-tracking fund, your exposure may be considerably higher. Owning several funds does little to improve diversification when each fund is buying many of the same companies.
If you have some time before retirement, you may decide to maintain substantial stock exposure while directing new contributions toward a more balanced mix of companies. Even small amounts can grow over time with tools like Acorns, an app that automatically invests your spare change.
Signing up for Acorns takes just minutes. All you have to do is link your cards and Acorns will round up each purchase to the nearest dollar and invest the difference in a diversified portfolio managed by experts at leading firms like Vanguard and BlackRock.
With Acorns, you can invest in a dividend ETF with as little as $5. Plus, if you sign up today, Acorns will add a $20 bonus to help you begin your investment journey.
Consider gold as a hedge against uncertainty
A deliberate AI slowdown could disrupt the growth expectations supporting today's largest technology companies. For this reason, investors who want part of their retirement savings outside the stock market may consider moving into gold, which has historically been used as a hedge during periods of economic uncertainty.
One way to invest in gold while gaining significant tax advantages is to open a gold IRA with the help of Priority Gold.
Gold IRAs let investors hold physical gold or gold-related assets in a retirement account, combining the tax advantages of an IRA with the protective benefits of investing in gold. This makes it an attractive option for those looking to hedge their retirement funds against economic uncertainty.
To learn more, you can get a free information guide that includes details on how to get up to $10,000 in free silver on qualifying purchases.
Diversify beyond stocks with real estate
Real estate offers another way to reduce your reliance on publicly traded technology companies. Although buying an entire rental property may be impractical, fractional investing lets you add real estate to your portfolio without becoming a landlord.
For instance, you can tap into this market by investing in shares of vacation homes or rental properties through Arrived.
Backed by world-class investors, including Jeff Bezos, Arrived allows you to invest in shares of vacation and rental properties, earning a passive income stream without the extra work that comes with being a landlord of your own rental property.
To get started, simply browse through their selection of vetted properties, each picked for its potential appreciation and income generation. Once you choose a property, you can start investing with as little as $100.
Plus, for a limited time, when you open an account and add $1,000 or more, Arrived will credit your account with a 1% match.
Get a second opinion
A sharp sell-off can make portfolio changes feel urgent. Decisions made during volatile trading can also lock in losses or create an allocation that no longer fits your long-term plan.
A qualified financial advisor can calculate your overlapping fund exposure and determine whether rebalancing makes sense.
But hiring an advisor can be a lifelong commitment, which might make or break your retirement. That's why finding reliable advisors is crucial.
That's where Advisor.com can come in. The platform connects you with an expert near you for free.
Advisor.com does the heavy lifting for you, vetting advisors based on track record, client ratios and regulatory background. What's more, their network comprises fiduciaries, who are legally required to act in your best interests.
An advisor can evaluate how many years you have until retirement, how much volatility you can tolerate and whether your portfolio relies too heavily on the AI boom.
Just enter a few details about your finances and goals and Advisor.com's AI-powered matching tool will connect you with a qualified expert best suited for your needs based on your unique financial goals and preferences.
You can then schedule a free, no-obligation consultation to discuss your retirement goals and long-term financial plan.
What To Read Next
-
Millionaires under 43 hold only 32% of their wealth in stocks. Here's where their money is actually going
-
Dave Ramsey says this 1 indulgent purchase stops Americans from becoming wealthy. Here's what he recommends instead
-
The tax breaks in Trump's 'big beautiful bill' expire after 2028. Here are 4 moves to make before the window closes
-
This 20-year old lotto winner refused $1M in cash and chose $1,000/week for life. Now she's getting slammed for it. Which option would you pick?
Get Warren Buffett's best investing lessons, free. Join 250,000 readers getting Moneywise's sharpest money reporting every week. Subscribe and we'll send you our guide to the ideas that built Buffett's fortune as a welcome gift.
Article Sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines.
Dario Amodei (); X (), (); Fortune (); Associated Press (); SSGA ()
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
Yorumlar (0)
Giriş yaparak yorum yazabilirsin.
İlk yorumu sen yaz.