OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind have been engaged in discussions regarding AI safety for several weeks. Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s global policy chief, confirmed these talks while in Washington to consult with U.S. lawmakers about catastrophic risks associated with artificial intelligence.
The collaboration follows an essay by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who urged the industry to slow the development of frontier AI models. Industry leaders, including Sam Altman of OpenAI, Demis Hassabis of Google, and Elon Musk of SpaceXAI, expressed support for the proposal.
Altman stated that OpenAI plans to integrate third-party evaluators to monitor safety standards. Additionally, OpenAI supports provisions within the FRONTIER Act that would mandate independent verification for leading AI laboratories to ensure safe development practices.
There are concerns that such coordination could potentially violate antitrust laws. While Amodei suggested seeking a government waiver for these safety discussions, Lehane indicated that the companies do not believe such a measure is necessary.
Reports suggest the companies are working to establish an industry standards body independently of the U.S. government. Meanwhile, the current U.S. administration has expressed skepticism toward tighter regulations, citing concerns that slowing development could benefit international competitors.
