OpenAI and Anthropic align on warning against open-weight AI risks
OpenAI and Anthropic, usually competitors, have aligned in Washington to warn policymakers about risks from powerful Chinese open-weight AI models. The closed-model labs' shared stance draws criticism from open-model advocates and Trump adviser David Sacks, who argue that such scrutiny could become regulatory capture benefiting large companies. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei contends that open-weight models are harder to keep safe due to inability to revoke access or update guardrails after release.
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OpenAI and Anthropic compete fiercely for customers. But in Washington, the two leading AI labs are aligning on one issue: warning policymakers about the risks of powerful Chinese open-weight AI models. **Why it matters:**That shared position pits the top U.S. AI labs against researchers, startups and open-model advocates who argue broad access to AI is essential for competition and scientific progress. **The big picture:**Closed-model labs stand to benefit from greater scrutiny of open-weight models. * Critics, including Trump administration adviser David Sacks, say that scrutiny could amount to regulatory capture: Rules intended to improve AI safety could instead entrench the largest companies by making it harder for competitors to release models. * Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has argued that open-weight models are harder to keep safe because, once their weights are released, developers lose the ability to revoke access, update safety guardrails or prevent misuse. * That's precisely w