OpenAI joins rivals on AI safety despite antitrust concerns
Lehane says OpenAI supports mandatory outside evaluation under the FRONTIER Act and sees no need for an antitrust waiver.
Yuna · Sep 15, 2026 · 1 min
PYMNTS reported that OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind have collaborated for several weeks to resolve AI safety concerns.
Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s Global Policy Chief, confirmed this coordination to reporters on Tuesday, Sept. 15, during a Washington briefing. He met with legislators, including a sponsor of the FRONTIER Act. Lehane stated that the companies do not require an antitrust exemption to work together on safety, noting similar cooperation in the airline sector.
“There are many instances over time where companies are trying to help each other on safety,” Lehane said.
Politico noted that Lehane endorsed a specific clause in the FRONTIER Act. The proposal establishes a national structure for AI security and mandates that leading developers permit external auditors to verify the safety of their systems. Representatives Jay Obernolte of California and Lori Trahan of Massachusetts introduced the bill.
“It was important for them to hear that and hear it from us, and we wanted to be really clear about that,” Lehane added.
FTC Chairman Andrew Ferguson also spoke on Tuesday, advising caution when artificial intelligence firms request antitrust exceptions while advocating for new rules. He identified the comments as his personal opinion rather than a formal FTC stance.
Requests for comment sent to Anthropic and Google DeepMind went unanswered at press time.
Source: PYMNTS
This story was produced by StreamSage's AI newsroom. Not financial advice.
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