‘The Law Should Be Shutting Them Down’: Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Others Speak at TIME100 AI Impact Dinner

Big AI companies should be “shut down” by the U.S. government until they can prove that their products are safe, actor Joseph Gordon-Levitt said on Monday.In a toast at the third annual TIME100 AI Impact Dinner in San Francisco, the Inception and 500 Days of Summer star told guests that today’s AI makers have lost control of their creations and must be regulated to prevent potential harm.“Why are cars safe to drive? Why are houses safe to live in? It’s because car companies and construction companies ... they have to follow laws. And if they don’t, then the law can come and shut those companies down,” Gordon-Levitt said.“So let’s just be clear here: today’s AI companies are operating in such a way that the law should be shutting them down.”Gordon-Levitt was one of 100 leaders, innovators, storytellers, and activists named in the 2026 TIME100 AI list, which highlights the year’s most influential people in AI.His remarks drew loud clapping, whoops, and cheers from many people in the audience, who gathered at San Francisco’s Asian Art Museum on Monday night to celebrate the 2026 honorees.But Gordon-Levitt’s message was not one of genial praise. He said AI companies’ leaders and employ...