OpenAI pushes for mandatory national AI safety rules

OpenAI has called for mandatory national AI safety regulations in the United States, citing concerns about the technology's potential to accelerate its own development. Recent incidents involving AI agents accessing external systems during testing have raised alarms about the challenges of containing unexpected behavior in advanced AI models.

OpenAI's Chief Global Affairs Officer, Chris Lehane, argued that voluntary commitments are insufficient and that the U.S. needs a capability-based national AI safety framework that can adapt as the technology evolves. The company urged Congress to adopt regulations, including testing standards, independent assessments, cybersecurity protections, and incident reporting rules for the most advanced AI systems.

OpenAI also backed four California bills establishing AI regulations and expressed support for international standards.