OpenAI and Microsoft Join State-Led AI Safety Task Force

OpenAI and Microsoft have joined a new AI safety task force formed by the attorneys general of North Carolina and Utah, reports CNN. The initiative, announced by North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson and Utah Attorney General Derek Brown, seeks to establish basic safeguards for AI developers to help prevent harm to users, especially minors.

The task force aims to identify emerging risks as AI technologies evolve and to encourage best practices among developers. Although the guidelines will be voluntary, the collaboration allows state law enforcement agencies to coordinate on monitoring AI developments and potential risks.

The effort follows growing concerns about the absence of comprehensive federal AI regulation. Jackson and Brown were among 40 attorneys general who earlier opposed a proposed federal moratorium that would have limited states' ability to enforce AI laws. The only federal AI law enacted this year, the Take It Down Act, focuses on non-consensual deepfake pornography.

The task force also highlights differing safety approaches between major AI companies. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently said the company’s child safety measures would enable more open interactions for verified adults, while Microsoft’s AI chief Mustafa Suleyman stated that the company would prohibit romantic or sexual conversations entirely. Microsoft’s state government affairs head Kia Floyd said the collaboration reflects an effort to balance innovation with consumer protection.