OpenAI, Anthropic and Google DeepMind have been discussing artificial intelligence safety measures for several weeks, bringing three of the world’s biggest AI companies into closer coordination over the risks linked to increasingly powerful AI models.
OpenAI’s global policy chief Chris Lehane confirmed the discussions during a briefing in Washington on September 15. He said the companies were working together on AI safety and did not need a special antitrust waiver to coordinate on safety issues.
The talks come at a time when concerns about frontier AI, the most advanced and capable artificial intelligence systems, are becoming more prominent. The discussions cover ways the industry can work together on safety even as the companies continue to compete aggressively in AI products, models and computing infrastructure.
One proposal under discussion is the creation of an industry standards body that could help establish common approaches to AI safety. Earlier reports said OpenAI, Anthropic and Google had discussed such a body, although there is no indication yet that a final organisation or structure has been agreed.
The idea reflects a growing push for common AI safety standards as companies develop increasingly capable systems. Such standards could potentially cover model testing, risk assessments, independent evaluations and methods for identifying dangerous behaviour before advanced AI systems are widely deployed.
The recent discussions follow a public call from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei for AI companies to work together and slow the pace of frontier AI development if necessary to address serious risks. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis have also backed elements of the broader push for greater attention to AI safety.
OpenAI has also indicated support for independent testing of advanced AI models. Lehane said the company supports a provision in the proposed FRONTIER Act that would require leading AI laboratories to allow independent verification organisations to assess whether their models are being developed safely.
The development is notable because OpenAI, Anthropic and Google DeepMind are direct competitors in the global AI race. OpenAI develops ChatGPT and its frontier models, Anthropic develops Claude, while Google DeepMind works on Gemini and other advanced AI systems. Their cooperation on safety therefore represents a different kind of relationship from their commercial competition.
The discussions also highlight a difficult question facing the AI industry: how companies can cooperate on safety without limiting competition or sharing commercially sensitive information. Lehane’s comments that the companies do not require an antitrust waiver suggest OpenAI believes safety-focused cooperation can take place within existing competition rules. Reuters reported that OpenAI, Alphabet and Anthropic had not immediately responded to requests for comment and said it could not independently verify the Bloomberg report on the talks.
AI safety has become a broader issue as companies race to develop systems capable of performing increasingly complex tasks. Researchers and technology leaders have raised concerns about potential misuse, cybersecurity threats, autonomous behaviour and other risks associated with highly capable AI.
The companies are also facing pressure from governments and policymakers. Lehane said OpenAI would support bipartisan US legislation aimed at reducing catastrophic AI risks. The company is seeking greater involvement in discussions over how advanced AI should be tested and governed.
The debate is not limited to the United States. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said on September 16 that she would invite major frontier AI companies to discuss ways of addressing AI risks after backing calls for a pause in development.
At the same time, governments and companies remain focused on maintaining rapid AI development. That has created a complicated policy environment, with technology firms seeking clearer safety frameworks while continuing to invest heavily in more powerful AI models.
A common AI safety framework could eventually give developers a shared set of principles for evaluating advanced models. It could also make it easier to compare safety testing across different companies and identify risks before new systems reach millions of users.
Nothing announced so far suggests that OpenAI, Anthropic and Google are forming a single AI company or ending their competition. The cooperation is focused on safety discussions and possible industry standards.
The talks mark another step in the fast-changing AI safety debate. As frontier models become more capable, the companies developing them are increasingly being asked to show not only what their systems can do, but also how those systems are tested, monitored and controlled.