Key facts
- EU competition chief Teresa Ribera would consider allowing AI firms to coordinate on safety without violating antitrust law.
- Ribera stated that no formal request for such coordination has been received yet.
- EU rules permit rivals to collaborate in certain public interest cases if conditions are met and regulators are informed.
- Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei suggested leading AI labs should set common safety standards and limits on AI progress.
- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Elon Musk, Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella backed Amodei's proposal.
- European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen noted that AI developers themselves are advocating for a slowdown in self-recursive AI models.
European Union competition chief Teresa Ribera indicated on Wednesday that she would be open to considering a request from leading artificial intelligence companies to coordinate on safety standards, even if it might normally conflict with antitrust laws. However, Ribera stated that no such formal request has been received yet.
Ribera explained that existing EU rules allow for collaboration among competitors in specific public interest scenarios, provided that the conditions are clearly defined and regulators are notified. This statement follows a proposal made by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei last Saturday, who argued that major AI labs should establish common safety benchmarks and "limits on the rate of unchecked AI progress." Amodei suggested that the U.S. government would need to grant a "narrow waiver for certain kinds of safety conversations" to enable this lawful cooperation.
Within hours of Amodei's suggestion, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Elon Musk, Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis, and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella had all independently voiced their support for the idea. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also addressed the debate, telling lawmakers that executives from the most advanced AI companies have indicated it is "time to slow down on the self-recursive models." She announced plans to convene these leading AI labs to discuss how Europe can support their efforts to moderate the pace of AI development, though she did not specify any changes to competition law.
A spokesperson for the European Commission had previously signaled openness, stating that the EU executive monitors all digital sectors, including AI, and is prepared to engage if companies approach them. The spokesperson added that "It is not antitrust rules which stand in the way of the development of a safe and responsible AI."
In contrast, the reception in Washington has been more reserved. Andrew Ferguson, chairman of the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, voiced suspicion on Tuesday about AI firms lobbying for new regulations while simultaneously seeking antitrust exemptions, suggesting it could be an attempt to create "barriers to entry that will insulate their incumbency from challenge." Separately, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that creators should be held liable for their AI-generated products to ensure safety.