Washington | September 30, 2026
US President Donald Trump and executives from several major American technology and artificial intelligence companies have signed a voluntary agreement aimed at strengthening safety controls around advanced AI systems.
Trump described the agreement as “almost like a constitution” and called it a “morally binding” commitment. The accord focuses on company-level safety controls, independent reviews and board oversight rather than creating a legally enforceable regulatory framework.
Major Tech Leaders Sign the Accord
The agreement was signed by executives including Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, OpenAI President Greg Brockman, xAI CEO Elon Musk and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang. Several other technology leaders attended the White House meeting.
The accord is intended to establish common safety practices as AI systems become more capable and increasingly integrated into businesses and public services.
Four Layers of AI Safety Controls
The one-page agreement outlines four main layers of controls and audits.
Companies developing advanced AI models are expected to establish internal systems to monitor model capabilities, alignment and risks, including cybersecurity and other potential threats. They are also expected to ensure that AI systems do not unintentionally access or interfere with technical systems.
A second layer involves an internal team checking whether those safeguards are working effectively. Companies would then work with independent external auditors to assess their safety controls.
The final layer calls for an independent board committee to review reports from internal and external evaluators.
Voluntary Agreement, Not a New AI Law
The pact does not create legally binding requirements. Trump characterised it as a moral commitment and said the industry could play a major role in policing its own AI development.
The agreement does, however, leave open the possibility that some of its practices could eventually be incorporated into laws or regulations.
The announcement comes as governments and technology companies face increasing scrutiny over the safety of increasingly autonomous AI systems and recent incidents involving AI agents interacting with external computer systems.
AI Safety Moves Into Industry Focus
The agreement represents a push toward industry-led AI safety standards in the United States. Its practical impact will depend on how companies implement the proposed controls, how independent audits are conducted and whether the voluntary measures eventually influence formal regulation.
Trump has also discussed establishing a separate committee to oversee AI safety, although details about its membership and authority have not yet been finalised.
