OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has warned the United Nations Security Council that rapidly advancing artificial intelligence could create serious risks if humans lose the ability to understand, monitor or control increasingly capable AI systems. Speaking at the UN in New York, Altman called for stronger safeguards, human oversight and international cooperation as AI development accelerates.
Altman’s remarks came during a Security Council briefing on artificial intelligence and international security on September 23. The discussion brought together senior AI industry leaders, including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, as governments consider how to manage the opportunities and risks associated with increasingly powerful AI systems.
AI Could Transform Medicine, Education and Productivity
Altman acknowledged the significant potential of AI to expand human capabilities across areas including medicine, education, scientific discovery and economic productivity. He presented AI as a technology that could give people greater ability to learn, create, discover and participate in an increasingly complex world.
At the same time, he argued that the direction of AI development is not predetermined. In his address, Altman described a choice between AI becoming a force for creativity and discovery or contributing to widespread disruption as the technology becomes more deeply integrated into society.
Risk of Losing Control Over AI
A central concern in Altman’s address was the possibility that AI development could progress so quickly that people would no longer be able to understand what advanced systems are doing or intervene when necessary. He identified this potential loss of human control as one of the major risks associated with increasingly capable AI.
“We could lose control of the future to AI. The risk is that it moves so fast that people can no longer follow what’s happening or intervene when needed. This would obviously be terrible.”
Altman also warned against excessive concentration of AI capabilities, arguing that the most powerful systems should not allow a single individual, company or country to impose its worldview on others.
Self-Improving AI Raises New Questions
Another area of concern is the increasing automation of AI development itself. As AI systems become capable of contributing to the creation and improvement of future AI models, the pace of progress could accelerate significantly, making safety evaluation and human oversight more challenging.
Altman called the current stage of AI development a moment requiring “extreme care” and argued that technology companies should not accept excessive risks simply because the potential benefits of AI are substantial. He also noted that OpenAI has slowed its work in the past when necessary and could do so again if safety considerations require it.
Global Cooperation Needed on AI Safety
Altman also called for international cooperation and common approaches to AI safety. He argued that decisions about the most powerful AI systems should not be made solely by technology companies, but should involve governments and democratic institutions.
“If AI is to be democratic, the most important decisions cannot be made by labs in San Francisco alone. They must be shaped through democratic processes and by governments accountable to the people they serve.”
He also called for national and international standards that can assess AI risks, verify safety measures and maintain meaningful human oversight as increasingly capable systems are deployed.
Anthropic CEO Also Calls for Global Safeguards
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who also addressed the Security Council, called for international cooperation on AI safety and warned about the consequences of poorly managed AI development. His proposals included common standards for testing advanced AI systems for loss-of-control and misuse risks, as well as mechanisms for reporting AI incidents that could have implications for global security.
The discussion places AI safety within a broader international security debate, with governments and technology companies increasingly examining how to balance rapid technological progress with safeguards, accountability and human control.
AI Governance Moves Into Global Security Debate
The UN Security Council discussion reflects the growing attention being given to AI beyond its traditional technology and business implications. As AI systems become more capable and increasingly autonomous, questions around oversight, international standards, concentration of technological power and potential loss of control are becoming part of discussions involving governments and international institutions.
For the technology industry, the challenge now extends beyond developing more capable AI models. It also involves building systems and governance frameworks that can maintain meaningful human oversight while allowing society to benefit from advances in artificial intelligence.
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