OpenAI Backs Bills In US Congress On AI, Biological Weapon Threats

On Tuesday, OpenAI expressed support for several bipartisan bills in the U.S. Congress aimed at mitigating potential risks associated with artificial intelligence, according to a company spokesperson. The company is backing the Web of Biological Data Act, the AI-Ready Bio-Data Standards Act, and the Scale Biology Act. These bills, as reported by Politico, are designed to prevent AI models from accelerating the development of biological weapons and synthetic viruses.

In addition to these bills, OpenAI also supports a key provision of the FRONTIER Act. This legislation mandates leading AI companies to employ independent evaluators to scrutinize the safety of their models. The spokesperson highlighted the growing concerns surrounding advanced AI, stating that heads of prominent U.S. AI labs, including OpenAI, are advocating for a temporary pause in the rapid advancement of AI technology.

Earlier this week, OpenAI had called for mandatory national AI safety requirements in the United States. The company's stance on the issue reflects the increasing apprehension among AI developers and policymakers about the potential consequences of unchecked AI development.