OpenAI CEO Says US-China AI Accord Could Merit Nobel Peace Prize

OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman told Fortune that a joint U.S.-China agreement on artificial-intelligence safety could be a historic accomplishment. He said Presidents Donald Trump and Xi Jinping would be worthy of a Nobel Peace Prize if they managed to adopt shared standards and testing protocols for AI development.

Altman emphasized that both nations should avoid taking excessive risks that could lead to loss of control over advanced AI systems. He noted that a simple, one-page pact could establish rules for development, testing, monitoring, and oversight, potentially involving an international body to ensure compliance.

The CEO warned that a scenario in which one country achieves superintelligent AI first could create a major power imbalance, underscoring the need for coordinated safeguards. He added that a broader industry effort to slow AI progress and address safety concerns is under discussion among leading AI firms.

Other industry figures, including investor Paul Tudor Jones, have also called for U.S.-China cooperation on AI risk management, citing the potential emergence of a new, powerful technological superpower.