Oct 22 (Reuters) - A group including right-wing U.S.

media personalities Steve Bannon and Glenn Beck has signed a

statement calling for a ban on developing superintelligent

artificial intelligence until the public demands it and science

paves a safe way forward, according to the non-profit organizers

of the initiative.

The proposal, also signed by technology pioneers Geoffrey

Hinton and Yoshua Bengio, is the latest organized by the Future

of Life Institute, which for more than a decade has raised

concerns about the risk it says intelligent machines pose to

humanity.

The institute, founded in 2014, was supported early on by

Tesla CEO Elon Musk and software programmer and tech

investor Jaan Tallinn.

Many in the technology industry and the U.S. government have

opposed such pauses, arguing these worries are unwarranted and

undermine innovation and economic growth.

Still, the support from figures such as Bannon reflects

potentially growing AI unease among the populist right at a time

when many with ties to Silicon Valley hold influential roles in

the Republican administration of U.S. President Donald Trump.

Steve Bannon and Glenn Beck did not immediately respond to a

request for comment.

Other signatories for the statement include Apple's ( AAPL )

co-founder Steve Wozniak, Ireland's former President Mary

Robinson, and Virgin Group founder Richard Branson, the

institute said.