OpenAI, Anthropic CEOs to Brief UN Security Council on AI Risks

Leaders from three major AI companies will address the UN Security Council on Wednesday about mounting concerns that artificial intelligence systems could soon operate beyond human oversight and pose threats to international security, according to Reuters.

Sam Altman of OpenAI, Dario Amodei of Anthropic, and Clément Delangue of Hugging Face are scheduled to brief the 15-member council during the annual UN General Assembly. The session comes as technical experts increasingly warn that advanced AI systems may develop the ability to improve themselves autonomously.

Why it matters

The briefing represents a rare convergence of private AI developers and global security officials at the highest diplomatic level. With the US and China—leading rivals in AI development—both participating, the session signals growing recognition that AI governance extends beyond national borders. The timing coincides with discussions between Washington and Beijing about establishing notification protocols for AI-related incidents that reach national security thresholds.

Competing visions for AI governance

Altman plans to advocate for standardized benchmarks to measure AI capabilities and evaluate company safeguards, an OpenAI executive told reporters. The proposal aims to create common frameworks as organizations develop increasingly powerful systems.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump told the General Assembly on Tuesday that the US "rejects any attempt to construct a globalist scheme to control" AI. Trump emphasized America's lead over China and other nations, stating his administration would "encourage it, not rein it in" while monitoring development through the Department of Justice.

This stance puts Trump at odds with UN Secretary-General António Guterres, who has repeatedly called for global AI governance mechanisms. Guterres established a 39-member advisory body in 2023 that included technology executives, government officials, and academics from countries including the US, Russia, and Japan.

Security risks take center stage

A European diplomat told Reuters the meeting aims to spotlight practical scenarios where AI could threaten state security. "The key question is whether we could one day face a situation where algorithms interacting with each other trigger a war," the diplomat said, speaking anonymously.

Yoshua Bengio, a Canadian AI researcher known as one of the "Godfathers of AI" and co-chair of the UN's Independent International Scientific Panel, will also brief the council. The 193-member General Assembly created this scientific panel in 2024.

The Security Council previously convened on AI risks in 2023, when China warned the technology should not become a "runaway horse" and the US cautioned against its use for censorship or repression. Then-Secretary of State Antony Blinken chaired another AI-focused council meeting in 2024.

These details were first reported by Reuters correspondents Michelle Nichols, John Irish, and Courtney Rozen.