The heads of OpenAI and Anthropic, two of the most prominent companies in the artificial intelligence space, told British lawmakers on Tuesday that they want to be regulated. They joined whistleblowers and security leaders at a sweeping parliamentary session in London, as the UK government considers how to deal with the rapidly evolving technology.
“We believe that regulation is important,” said Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. “We think it’s going to be critical for responsible development.” Altman added that he was optimistic about the UK’s approach to AI regulation, which he described as “thoughtful.”
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei echoed Altman’s sentiment. “We are very supportive of the UK taking a lead on this,” he said. “We think it’s important to have a regulatory framework in place.”
The appearance of the AI leaders came as a few hundred meters away, Britain’s spy chief, Sir Jeremy Fleming, warned that AI could be used to create new bioweapons. Speaking at the same event, Fleming said that AI could be used to “design and create new biological agents” and that this was a “significant risk.”
The parliamentary session was part of a broader inquiry into the potential risks and benefits of AI. Lawmakers are expected to make recommendations for how the UK government should regulate the technology. The UK is one of the first countries to seriously consider AI regulation, and its approach could set a precedent for other nations.
Altman and Amodei both acknowledged the potential risks of AI, but they also emphasized its potential benefits. They said that AI could be used to solve some of the world’s most pressing problems, such as climate change and disease.
“We believe that AI has the potential to be a force for good in the world,” said Altman. “But it’s important to develop it responsibly.”