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PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday called on the world’s leading democracies to coordinate efforts on regulating advanced artificial intelligence systems, warning against fragmented national approaches as global competition in AI intensifies.
Speaking at a high-level Group of Seven (G7) meeting in France attended by top technology executives, Macron said wealthy democracies must work together to establish common rules governing frontier AI models, which he described as both transformative and potentially risky.
The meeting brought together leaders from major AI firms, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Google DeepMind CEO Demis Hassabis, and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, alongside G7 leaders and other industry figures.
Altman echoed the call for international coordination, urging the creation of a global forum to develop shared standards and safety frameworks for artificial intelligence. He stressed that oversight should not be left solely to private companies.
“We need an international forum for discussion that establishes globally accepted standards for testing, provides expert and impartial analysis of capabilities and risks, and serves as a venue for cooperation among nations,” Altman said.
The discussions were partly overshadowed by tensions stemming from a recent U.S. administration directive restricting foreign access to Anthropic’s most advanced AI models. The move, which led the company to temporarily withdraw its latest systems, has sparked concern in Europe over reliance on American-controlled AI infrastructure.
Macron criticized the approach as “strictly nationalist,” while acknowledging Washington’s concerns about the security risks posed by frontier AI systems. He warned that restricting access could ultimately harm innovation and reduce the global competitiveness of U.S. technology firms.
The French president also urged deeper international collaboration to ensure democratic nations retain leadership in AI development, cautioning that fragmentation could leave strategic advantages to authoritarian powers. He pledged increased French investment in domestic AI capabilities as a safeguard against potential breakdowns in cooperation.
European policymakers have increasingly expressed concern about dependence on U.S. technology platforms. The European Commission recently unveiled initiatives aimed at strengthening Europe’s AI sovereignty, while religious and civil society leaders have also called for stronger oversight of emerging technologies.
Industry leaders at the summit acknowledged growing pressure for coordinated governance. Aidan Gomez, CEO of Cohere AI, said participants broadly agreed on the need for structured international cooperation, noting that democracies must ensure they do not fall behind in both leading and secondary tiers of AI development.
Representatives from Meta, Mistral, and other global AI firms also attended the discussions, which underscored widening geopolitical competition between the United States, China, and other emerging technology hubs.
The G7—comprising France, the United States, Canada, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom—also invited representatives from Brazil, India, Kenya, and South Korea to participate in selected sessions.
