OpenAI CEO Sam Altman says AI systems once considered "science fiction" are already here, and he expects even more powerful models within the next year or two.
In an opinion piece for the Financial Times, Altman said AI will reshape everyday life on a scale comparable to, or even greater than, the impact of electricity. He argued that the technology's growing economic, scientific, and national security importance requires a coordinated international approach.
Altman proposed creating a U.S.-led global AI forum involving governments and independent experts to develop common standards, oversee advanced AI development, and reduce the risk of unsafe competition between AI companies.
He warned that without international cooperation, too much influence over AI could end up concentrated in a small number of countries. Instead, he said global rules could help ensure the technology's benefits are shared more broadly.
Altman pointed to the International Atomic Energy Agency as an example of how countries have successfully worked together to govern powerful technologies, even during periods of geopolitical tension.
His comments come as governments and AI companies debate how to regulate increasingly capable AI systems while balancing innovation with safety.