Why OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google Are Teaming Up: Joint AI Safety Standards Are Now in the Works
In September 2026, the three biggest AI companies — OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google — began serious talks to jointly develop AI safety standards. This article explains in plain language why competing companies are working together, what rules may emerge, and how this could affect everyday life.
Have you ever wondered, "AI is convenient, but is it actually safe?" The world's three leading AI companies have finally started taking action on that concern.
What Is This?
The three major competing AI companies are making their first-ever attempt to create safety rules together.
What Changed
In July 2026, Demis Hassabis — co-founder of Google's AI division, DeepMind — published a piece proposing the creation of an industry body (a "standards body") to oversee AI. That proposal sparked the current debate.
In response, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google have been holding continuous meetings through mid-September 2026. Anthropic's CEO Dario Amodei also issued a statement in September 2026 calling for industry-wide cooperation on AI inspection and auditing.
What the three companies are aiming for is a self-regulatory body modeled after FINRA — the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, a self-regulatory organization that oversees the U.S. financial industry. The envisioned structure would be government-supervised, company-funded, and run by independent technical experts. New AI models would be required to pass third-party safety testing before release.
Before (pre-2026) Each AI company conducted its own safety checks. Standards and procedures varied widely, with almost no way for outsiders to verify them. Dangerous models could reach the market without anyone noticing.
Going Forward (if a standards body is established) New AI models will need to pass review by an independent third-party organization before release. Advanced models with potentially dangerous capabilities will only be made available to pre-approved, trusted organizations.
Around the same time (September 2026), all three companies separately announced specialized AI models for cybersecurity purposes.
- Google: Announced "Gemini 3.8 Flash Cyber," made available on a priority basis to more than 650 government agencies, healthcare institutions, and other organizations through the "Fairwind Program."
- Anthropic: Announced "Claude Fable 5.1" and "Claude Mythos 5.1." Mythos 5.1 is a limited-release model for trusted organizations in the cybersecurity field.
- OpenAI: Disclosed that its next model, "Astra," has reached a "Critical" (highest risk) rating under the company's own safety evaluation, and plans limited testing through its "Daybreak Blue" program.
This is precisely why the joint development of safety standards has become an urgent matter.
There are still significant hurdles. House Speaker Mike Johnson stated that "there is no broad agreement between companies yet." Reports also indicate that Meta's Mark Zuckerberg urged President Trump to oppose the initiative. It's far from certain that all companies will participate.
How Could This Affect You?
Scenario 1: Someone starting to use AI tools at work
Imagine you've just begun using ChatGPT or an internal AI tool at your company. Once safety standards exist, you'll be able to check whether a product has "passed third-party review" before choosing it. Right now, you can only rely on companies' own self-reporting.
Scenario 2: A parent wondering whether to let their child use AI
There are moments when you're not sure, "Is this AI safe for my child?" With common rules in place, it would become possible to verify whether an educational AI has passed a safety review.
Scenario 3: A small business owner evaluating AI services
When comparing multiple AI services, a shared "safety-certified" label would make the decision much easier. Currently, you have to wade through each company's documentation on your own.
The standards body has not yet been established. However, Anthropic and OpenAI already have a practice of publishing safety reports (safety cards), and the industry is gradually becoming more transparent. Keeping an eye on future developments will give you more informed criteria for choosing AI services.
What Will It Cost?
The setup and operating costs of a standards body are expected to be funded by the companies themselves. Whether any additional costs will be passed on to everyday users is not yet determined. There is some chance that audit costs could be reflected in service pricing, but no financial details have been disclosed at this stage.
Summary
As of September 2026, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google have entered serious talks aimed at jointly developing AI safety standards. If successful, new AI models would be required to undergo third-party review before release. Agreement has not yet been reached, and opposition from companies like Meta makes the situation complicated. This development is especially worth following if you want to use AI services with confidence or are considering adopting AI at your workplace — because industry-wide rules would make the criteria for choosing AI far clearer.
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