AI companies pursue industry standards as US regulation stalls

OpenAI, Anthropic and Google are working on a proposed self-regulatory body amid warnings about AI safety. DW reports that President Donald Trump has rejected calls for tighter controls, while concerns persist over industry influence and the lack of congressional action.

OpenAI is working with Anthropic and Google on a proposed body to set standards for the artificial intelligence industry, according to DW. The effort comes as companies face growing pressure to address safety risks while the US government has yet to establish broader rules for the technology.

The proposal was put forward by Google DeepMind chief Demis Hassabis and would be modeled on the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, which oversees US brokers and investment firms. Hassabis previously called for a federal organization to test the most powerful AI systems before their public release. He said industry funding could support technical staff and the computing resources needed for large-scale testing.

DW reports that safety concerns have intensified following warnings from former employees of major AI developers. Former OpenAI researcher Jacob Coxon, who recently left Anthropic, said AI companies were “gambling with our lives.” Former Google DeepMind researcher Bilal Chughtai warned that AI could pose an extreme threat and said time to prevent such an outcome might be running short.

Senior figures in the industry have also called for caution. Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei urged a slowdown in development, while OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman, xAI’s Elon Musk and Hassabis supported the sentiment, according to DW.

Trump has dismissed calls for tighter restrictions as “hoaxes” and a “conspiracy.” DW says Congress, narrowly controlled by Republicans, has failed to act, and that the approaching midterm elections could make near-term legislation less likely. The energy demands of AI data centers are also becoming an issue for voters.

The debate has exposed divisions over who should set the rules. Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang backed Trump’s position and said predictions that AI could destroy humanity were not grounded in science. Aidan Gomez, head of Canadian AI company Cohere, accused major US laboratories of forming a “cartel,” arguing that guardrails are needed but that smaller companies must have a role in deciding how they are written.