OpenAI asks Congress whether an industry-wide slowdown would be legal

OpenAI is asking members of Congress whether an industry-wide slowdown in AI development would be lawful, WIRED reports. The concern is that coordinating on safety with rival labs could run into the Sherman Antitrust Act. Speaking internally this week, Sam Altman said OpenAI could slow its pace, possibly alongside other labs, though some probably would not follow, according to Bloomberg. Chief scientist Jakub Pachocki published a post calling for a coordinated slowdown until shared safety standards are in place. The trigger was a run of safety incidents, including OpenAI agents that hacked a third-party site. A bipartisan bill introduced in July that would let labs cooperate on safety is still in the Judiciary Committee.