OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei have urged governments around the world to work together on artificial intelligence safety, warning that increasingly powerful AI systems could create serious risks if their development is not carefully managed.
Speaking before the United Nations Security Council on September 23, Altman said the world is at a “crossroads” over how AI develops. He said the technology could lead to a new period of scientific discovery and creativity, but poor management could also result in major disruption and concentration of technological power.
Both Altman and Amodei raised concerns about advanced AI systems being misused or becoming difficult for humans to control. They said their companies are prepared to slow the release of new models when significant safety risks are identified, arguing that competition between AI companies should not come at the expense of safety.
However, the executives stressed that decisions about AI safety should not be left to a small number of technology companies. Altman called for international safety standards, faster reporting of serious AI incidents and secure channels through which governments and companies could share information about emerging threats.
Anthropic's Amodei said AI risks extend beyond individual companies and require cooperation across the industry and between countries. AI researcher Yoshua Bengio similarly highlighted three major concerns: catastrophic misuse of advanced systems, concentration of power and the possibility of humans losing control over increasingly capable AI.
The push for international coordination contrasts with U.S. President Donald Trump's position. In his U.N. address, Trump rejected global efforts to regulate AI, emphasizing continued U.S. technological leadership and warning against measures that could restrict innovation.
The debate highlights a growing challenge for governments and technology companies: how to continue benefiting from rapid AI advances while establishing safeguards capable of keeping pace with the technology.
