Executive proposal outlines a multinational oversight group as the U.S. and China prepare for talks, but no formal plan or government action has been announced.
Chris Lehane, Chief Global Affairs Officer at OpenAI, said the company supports creating a U.S.-led global AI oversight body that includes China, which could affect how governments coordinate rules for Frontier AI companies.
According to Bloomberg, Lehane made the comments during a press briefing with reporters in Washington, D.C. He said the proposed group would bring together major countries to coordinate the governance of AI systems across borders. He compared the idea to the International Atomic Energy Agency, which sets standards and conducts inspections for nuclear technology.
He described AI as an issue that crosses national boundaries and cannot be managed by one country alone. Lehane said, “AI is going to transcend a lot of the traditional trade issues and so there is an opportunity to actually build something globally.”
The proposal connects existing AI safety institutes and technical standards across countries, but is led by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Lehane didn’t specify details about governance requirements on AI developers, nor how they would be monitored.
The comments come ahead of talks between President Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping. The timing links the proposal to ongoing discussions between the two countries on technology and security risks.
