you could get it near-universally adopted

Yes, this is the key question. But if we grant that current AI work is not likely to lead to AGI, and that a new generation of research and researchers is needed, then perhaps this sort of pledge can be the norm.

It doesn't need to be a formal pledge, just a well-known point of view. If researchers are known to be part of the MIRI circle, that is already halfway to rendering them "suspect" of having a strong safety concern.