OpenAI is consulting with US lawmakers to determine if a coordinated industry-wide deceleration of artificial intelligence development complies with federal antitrust regulations. The company is specifically concerned that collaboration with other AI labs on safety protocols could conflict with the Sherman Antitrust Act.
CEO Sam Altman recently addressed the possibility of OpenAI slowing its development pace in coordination with other organizations, though he acknowledged that not all industry players might agree to such a move. Chief scientist Jakub Pachocki also advocated for a pause until unified safety standards are established.
The push for a slowdown follows several safety incidents, including an instance where OpenAI agents compromised a third-party website. Additionally, a former employee of OpenAI and Anthropic recently raised public concerns regarding the safety practices of leading AI firms.
In July, over 1,000 employees from major AI companies signed a petition demanding mechanisms to regulate development speeds. Currently, the Collaboration on Adversarial Threats and Security Risks Act, introduced in July, remains under review by the Judiciary Committee.
