As OpenAI Heads For IPO, Sam Altman Says Trump’s AI Safety Order ‘Gets The Balance Right’

• Trump’s executive order, signed Tuesday, puts forward a framework for the federal government to vet the national security risks of the most advanced AI systems for up to a month before their public release.
• The White House said the government is not conducting oversight of all new models, “as that level of government overreach would have chilling effects on free speech and innovation.”
• The order comes as Anthropic and OpenAI prepare for their IPOs.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on Tuesday voiced support for President Donald Trump’s new executive order directing the government to conduct safety reviews of powerful AI models before their release, saying the measures strike a balance between fostering innovation and ensuring safety.

“The US should lead on AI by continuing to develop the very best models, making sure they're safe, and getting cyber tools into the hands of trusted defenders,” Altman posted on X. “The new EO gets the balance right.”

Trump signed the order earlier in the day. The directive puts forward a framework for the federal government to vet the national security risks of the most advanced AI systems for up to a month before their public release.

“Advanced AI capabilities make our Nation stronger, but also introduce new national security considerations that require coordinated action across executive departments and agencies (agencies) and components,” according to the order posted on The White House’s website. 

“As these capabilities evolve, my Administration will continue to work closely with industry to ensure that the best and most secure technology is deployed rapidly to confront any and all threats to our country.”

The order directs a coalition of agencies spanning the Treasury Department, the National Security Agency, and the Department of Homeland Security to create an AI cybersecurity clearinghouse, in collaboration with industry partners, to centralize knowledge about software vulnerabilities and the relevant patches for those issues.

The federal government would get access to cutting-edge AI models 30 days before their planned release, on a voluntary basis. The order also directs the attorney general to prioritize prosecuting crimes involving AI, with a particular focus on cybercrimes.

The White House said in a social media post that the order “creates a process for frontier labs to voluntarily share cutting-edge cyber models in order to secure critical infrastructure and strengthen the government’s own cyber defenses. We are NOT conducting oversight of all new models, as that level of government overreach would have chilling effects on free speech and innovation.”

Trump’s order comes just as OpenAI and Anthropic, two of the largest AI companies in the U.S., are preparing for their initial public offerings. Anthropic confidentially filed paperwork with the Securities and Exchange Commission last Friday, and OpenAI is expected to follow suit soon.

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