OpenAI has reportedly approached several US lawmakers in recent weeks regarding a specific scenario. The ChatGPT creator wanted to know whether an agreement among artificial intelligence developers to jointly slow down research could violate antitrust laws. A WIRED report highlighted the quiet maneuver following public calls from OpenAI Chief Scientist Jakub Pachocki, who urged the industry to agree on shared safety standards before more advanced systems are released to the public. However, coordinating to hold back product releases at the industry level could be interpreted as cartel behavior that violates competition laws.
Amid the legal dilemma, former Anthropic engineer Jacob Coxon announced his resignation this week due to concerns over existential risks to humanity. “The people building AI truly believe it could kill us all before the end of the decade,” Coxon said.
The Dilemma of Going It Alone
In February 2026, OpenAI and Anthropic reportedly relaxed their respective safety commitments. Anthropic CSO Jared Kaplan argued that slowing down unilaterally makes no sense while competitors continue to push forward. Duncan Sabien of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute echoed this competitive reality, noting that every technological advance unlocks millions or billions in additional funding, meaning backing off alone simply surrenders the lead to rivals.
OpenAI had previously tested self-restraint on a smaller scale. In August 2026, the company halted an internal project called Astra work that lacked robust guardrails due to cybersecurity concerns. However, enforcing a similar slowdown across all competitors requires protection from antitrust liabilities.
Washington’s Intervention and the China Factor
Responding to the need for a legal framework, Senators Adam Schiff and Jim Banks introduced a new bill. The draft legislation is specifically designed to protect certain safety collaborations between AI companies, requiring prior notification to the Department of Justice. The legislative move reflects the boundaries of state intervention to avoid hurting national competitiveness. In May, President Trump delayed an AI executive order over concerns that strict regulations would undermine America’s edge over China. The order was only signed in June, featuring merely a voluntary review mechanism for advanced models prior to public release.
Beyond AI matters, Congress has also been inundated with prediction market issues. Since January, more than 10 bills concerning prediction markets have been submitted to lawmakers. The PREDICT Act would ban members of Congress and senior officials from trading contracts linked to political events to prevent conflicts of interest.
The Fine Line Between Safety and Cartels
Collaboration among developers is currently caught in a bind. Continuing to accelerate development poses existential threats, but agreeing to slow down risks violating antitrust laws. Without clear rules of engagement from Congress, the artificial intelligence industry lacks the legal foundation to hit the brakes together.
Reported by Decrypt.
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