President Trump and senior administration officials discussed a U.S.-led initiative to establish global AI standards during a meeting with CEOs of leading AI companies at the G7 summit in France on June 17, 2026. The meeting included Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, along with AI leaders such as OpenAI's Sam Altman, Google's Demis Hassabis, and Anthropic's Dario Amodei.
Chris Lehane, head of global affairs at OpenAI, stated that the discussions focused on creating a global forum for AI standards. He noted a growing consensus among countries and AI labs on the need for a collaborative space for democratic nations to work together on AI safety standards. Lehane emphasized that the U.S. would take the lead in this initiative to ensure continued access to advanced AI models.
The meeting also addressed online safety for children and the importance of maintaining global access to AI technology. Following the discussions, Trump described the meeting as "excellent" and highlighted the significance of AI, stating that it could have both positive and negative implications. He remarked on the U.S.'s leadership in AI development compared to China.
The Trump administration has previously advocated for a light regulatory approach to foster AI innovation, but recent advancements in AI technology have prompted a reassessment of this stance. The administration's recent AI executive order includes voluntary safety testing for major AI labs and export controls on certain AI models from Anthropic.