September 14, 2026, 13:09 GMT | Insight
Artificial intelligence companies may need antitrust waivers when agreeing to slow development of frontier models, according to
Anthropic Chief Executive Dario Amodei, but the
European Commission said antitrust rules were not an obstacle to “safe and responsible” services. The statement was supported by a former FTC commissioner, who said that "antitrust law does not prevent AI companies from coordinating to make sure AI does not hurt people.”
AI companies may need antitrust waivers when agreeing to slow development of frontier models, according to Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, but the European Commission said antitrust rules were not an obstacle to “safe and responsible” services.
Over the weekend, major AI players such as Anthropic and
OpenAI raised alarm over the speed of AI development, saying there was a credible threat to humanity. Top industry leaders including Sam Altman, Elon Musk and Demis Hassabis of
Google DeepMind threw their weight behind Amodei’s suggestions.
In an essay, Amodei said AI companies may need government mediation or antitrust approval so competitors can legally coordinate on common safety standards and limits on unchecked capability growth.
Coordination between companies that might limit the rollout of products or curb innovation can fall foul of antitrust regulators.
Given AI companies have rallied behind the calls to slow development, the European Commission may be called on to assess the legality of such a joint move. But there has been no contact yet.
“Should AI companies approach the commission on this topic, we are ready to engage,” a spokesperson for the EU executive said.
“It is not antitrust rules which stand in the way to the development of a safe and responsible AI,” the spokesperson said, adding that the commission was closely monitoring all digital sectors, including AI.
Amodei advocated for slowing AI development until stronger safeguards exist. While Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, made the company’s case for mandatory safety rules and slowing or stopping development when those are not met.
Alvaro Bedoya, a former commissioner at the
US Federal Trade Commission, posted on social-network X: “Antitrust law does not prevent AI companies from coordinating to make sure AI does not hurt people.”
“It does not prevent companies working together to make sure it doesn't hack people; the [Department of Justice] and FTC made this clear a decade ago when they issued a policy statement saying that the agencies 'do not believe that antitrust is — or should be — a roadblock to legitimate cybersecurity information sharing.'"
He urged “deep skepticism” over the CEOs’ requests for an antitrust exemption “in light of the economics of the industry and the threat they face from open models.”
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