"Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google Hold Behind-the-Scenes Discussions on Establishing an AI Standards Organization"

[Financial News] IT media outlet The Information reported on the 13th (local time), citing multiple sources, that AI leaders Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google have been discussing plans to jointly create a standards organization for the AI industry since before the recent debate over slowing AI development began.
According to the report, a working group composed of executives below the CEOs of Anthropic, OpenAI, and Google has been meeting regularly since last July to discuss the concept of a standards organization, and the group reportedly met as recently as the past week.
People familiar with the matter said that these working-level officials have been coordinating behind the scenes for months to establish an industry self-regulatory system without government intervention.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reportedly said at an all-hands meeting last week that he supports testing and auditing bodies, but believes major AI companies should establish a standards organization themselves without support from the U.S. government.
These behind-the-scenes efforts are in line with the plan for slowing the pace of AI development and establishing independent oversight announced by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei on the 12th.
He said that while the government works to establish AI regulations, companies can take the lead by adopting voluntary safety standards, and that the government could help facilitate or mediate discussions among industry participants.
These discussions on self-regulation emerged as government-led regulation stalled.
A draft executive order establishing an AI standards organization was circulated within the White House, but it has remained stalled because it failed to secure sufficient support within the Trump administration.
David Oliver Sacks, co-chair of the President's Council of Advisers on Science and Technology, who is known as the AI czar, opposes the government taking the lead in creating such an organization, but does not oppose companies coordinating their own safety efforts.
Politico previously reported that Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta Platforms Inc., also expressed concern about the idea of a national AI regulatory body during a phone call with President Trump last August.
There are also critical voices regarding the industry's self-regulation initiative.
Aidan Gomez, CEO of enterprise AI model startup Cohere, wrote on X, "These are great ideas put forward by a cartel," expressing concern that the largest AI companies could coordinate rules that would squeeze out smaller competitors.
Chairman Sacks also questioned on X on the 13th whether the argument for slowing AI development was "purely altruistic," pointing out that product-liability risks provide a financial incentive to prevent harm caused by AI.


[email protected] Lee Seok-woo, International Specialist Reporter