Google DeepMind CEO calls for US-led global AI watchdog with power to halt dangerous models

Demis Hassabis, CEO and cofounder of Google DeepMind, has proposed the creation of a global AI watchdog led by the United States. In a blog post titled "A Framework for Frontier AI and the Dawning of a New Age," he argues that the US is best positioned to set global standards given its economic and technical standing. The proposed organization would resemble the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and would be composed of independent experts and open-source community representatives. Its powers would include evaluating frontier models before their release and, if deemed too risky, coordinating an industry-wide slowdown of deployment.

Hassabis has spent months quietly building support for his proposal, briefing the Trump administration, other major AI labs, and European officials. According to Axios, he hopes to have the new institution up and running before the end of the year and has received positive signals from the administration. The urgency stems from his belief that artificial general intelligence (AGI) is "probably only a few short years away," describing the current moment as "the foothills of the singularity." Hassabis, a joint winner of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for AI-based protein prediction, also recently signed a statement calling for stronger protections against AI-aided bioweapons. His proposal follows similar warnings from economists and tech leaders about the economic impacts of AI.