As artificial intelligence rapidly transforms economies, industries, and geopolitical strategies, OpenAI has proposed the idea of creating a global governance body for AI that would include both the United States and China.
The proposal comes at a crucial moment, just ahead of a high-profile meeting between US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, where artificial intelligence is expected to emerge as a key topic of discussion alongside trade and global security.
The suggestion reflects growing international concerns over AI safety, cybersecurity risks, technological competition, and the lack of coordinated global regulations for increasingly powerful AI systems. OpenAI executives believe that the world may soon require an international oversight structure similar to nuclear governance organisations to ensure responsible development and deployment of advanced AI technologies.
The conversation also highlights the increasing role of AI diplomacy in shaping international relations, especially as the US and China continue competing for leadership in artificial intelligence innovation.
OpenAI Vice President of Global Affairs Chris Lehane said the company would support the formation of an international AI governance organisation led by the United States while including China as a participating member.
During a media briefing in Washington, Lehane stated that artificial intelligence presents challenges that go beyond traditional geopolitical and trade disputes.
“AI, in some level, transcends a lot of the prevailing or traditional trade type of issues,” Lehane told reporters during a briefing at the company’s offices in Washington. “There is an opportunity to really start to build something up globally, and have countries around the world, including China, potentially participate.”
Lehane explained that such a structure could function similarly to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), which establishes international nuclear safety standards and works to prevent nuclear weapons proliferation.
According to OpenAI, a similar institution for AI could help create globally accepted standards for safety, transparency, and risk management as AI systems become more advanced and influential.
Lehane revealed that OpenAI has already discussed in Washington the idea of connecting AI safety institutes being developed across multiple countries.
One possible approach could involve cooperation between the US Commerce Department’s Center for AI Standards and Innovation and international AI safety organisations.
The objective would be to establish coordinated safety testing, technical evaluations, and governance frameworks that could reduce the risks associated with advanced AI models.
The proposal comes at a time when governments worldwide are racing to regulate artificial intelligence while balancing innovation, national security, and economic competitiveness.
Countries including the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan, South Korea, and Canada have already initiated discussions around AI safety regulations and ethical standards.
Despite OpenAI’s proposal, significant political obstacles remain.
The Trump administration has previously indicated reluctance toward global AI governance systems that could limit American technological leadership or involve extensive international oversight mechanisms.
While the White House did not immediately comment on OpenAI’s proposal, previous policy signals suggest the administration prefers a more flexible and domestically controlled regulatory model for AI.
At the same time, US officials are increasingly concerned about China’s rapid AI progress and allegations that Chinese developers may be using outputs from leading American AI systems to develop competing models more cheaply and with fewer safety restrictions.
This issue is becoming a major point of tension between US AI companies and Chinese technology developers.
The urgency surrounding AI governance has intensified following recent warnings from major AI firms regarding cybersecurity risks linked to advanced models.
Anthropic PBC recently warned about the potential cyber threats posed by its powerful Mythos AI model, a development that reportedly influenced White House AI policy discussions.
The Trump administration is currently preparing an executive order focused on AI cybersecurity and national security protections.
However, the administration’s current approach reportedly emphasises voluntary safety evaluations rather than mandatory government reviews before deployment.
OpenAI, meanwhile, has advocated for government-led testing of advanced AI systems in classified settings to better assess potential safety risks before public release.
The company argues that stronger oversight could help prevent misuse, cyberattacks, misinformation, and other unintended consequences linked to highly capable AI systems.
Artificial intelligence is expected to play a significant role during discussions between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing.
Trump’s visit marks the first state visit to China by a US president in nine years and includes participation from senior US officials and business leaders.
Among those attending is Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, whose company plays a critical role in global AI chip manufacturing and infrastructure.
Although trade issues, rare earth supply chains, agricultural exports, and geopolitical tensions remain central topics, AI competition is becoming increasingly intertwined with economic and national security policy.
US officials have already indicated that artificial intelligence concerns will be part of the diplomatic discussions, although specific details have not been disclosed publicly.
As AI technologies advance rapidly, experts increasingly warn that fragmented national regulations could create inconsistent safety standards and intensify global technological competition.
The emergence of generative AI systems capable of autonomous decision-making, advanced coding, cybersecurity operations, and misinformation generation has intensified calls for coordinated oversight.
Industry leaders argue that international collaboration could help establish common principles around AI transparency, accountability, cybersecurity, and responsible deployment.
At the same time, geopolitical rivalry between the US and China may complicate efforts to build trust and shared governance structures.
OpenAI’s proposal for a global AI governance body that includes both the United States and China reflects the growing recognition that artificial intelligence has become a worldwide strategic issue extending far beyond technology itself. As AI systems become more powerful and deeply integrated into economies, defence systems, cybersecurity, and public life, governments and technology companies are increasingly confronting the need for international coordination.
The idea of an AI governance framework similar to nuclear oversight organisations signals how seriously industry leaders view the long-term risks and responsibilities associated with advanced AI development. However, political tensions, national security concerns, and global competition between major powers may make such cooperation difficult to achieve.
As discussions around AI safety, cybersecurity, regulation, and innovation continue to evolve, the coming years may determine whether artificial intelligence becomes a source of global collaboration or deeper geopolitical rivalry.