The direction of the debate over slowing down artificial intelligence development could throw cold water on the AI boom that has been driving US stock prices higher. When Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called in mid-September for slowing AI development, markets reacted sharply, and shares of AI and semiconductor-related companies briefly plunged in the United States, heightening fears that a slower pace of cutting-edge model development would make it hard to recoup massive investments. Adrian, head of the IMF's Monetary and Capital Markets Department, pointed out that when it comes to AI investment, "the biggest potential risk is that future profitability falls short of expectations," signaling a view that while AI investment remains solid for now, the AI boom carries the risk of going into reverse. Meanwhile, both the United States and China regard AI as a source of national power and show no sign of easing their development efforts. US President Donald Trump argued that "a pathological conspiracy against AI and data centers is underway, and only China is happy about it," while China's Foreign Ministry pushed back against the narrative linking the slowdown argument to wariness toward China, saying it "only hinders the creation of international rules." As the tug-of-war between the development race and safety measures intensifies, a series of talks and meetings between the United States and China as they vie for supremacy are likely to shape the future of the AI boom.