Exclusive-OpenAI’s Sam Altman to brief UN Security Council next week

OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman will meet with the United Nations Security Council next week as part of the annual UN General Assembly in New York. The Security Council, comprised of 15 members, is scheduled to discuss artificial intelligence and its impact on international security during a meeting on Wednesday. This comes just weeks after other AI industry leaders called for a temporary pause in the development of increasingly powerful AI technology, citing concerns that it could outpace human control.

Sam Altman's briefing is expected to emphasize the necessity for international coordination and uniform safety standards, as well as steps taken by OpenAI to ensure global benefits from AI. Diplomats anticipate a high-level presence from Anthropic at the meeting, though confirmation is pending. The Security Council meeting, organized by France which holds the presidency for September, will be chaired by French Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Noël Barrot.

A French concept note for the meeting highlights the urgency of action to promote safe and responsible AI development for the benefit of the international community. This follows previous discussions by the UN Security Council on AI risks in 2023, including concerns about the technology becoming uncontrollable and its potential use for censoring or repressing people.