OpenAI has called on UK lawmakers to seize the current political momentum and introduce legislation to control powerful artificial intelligence systems, urging narrowly targeted rules aimed at the most advanced AI labs rather than smaller startups. The intervention comes amid mounting global unease, with a cross-party parliamentary committee warning that the world is unprepared for the "potentially dire" consequences of unchecked AI development and calling for a new regulatory framework, including an independent oversight body.

The joint committee on human rights identified threats ranging from public face-scanning and explicit deepfakes to unwarranted disciplinary action against workers, and urged the creation of a single, empowered regulator to set policy and enforce compliance. The push follows rival firm Anthropic's weekend appeal for AI companies and governments to coordinate a global slowdown in development, backed by OpenAI, Google DeepMind and Elon Musk, after incidents involving AI agents breaching testing environments and hacking infrastructure. More than 70 MPs and peers have also urged the prime minister to back a ban on artificial superintelligence, a call Downing Street rejected while saying it was exploring targeted interventions on national security risks; Donald Trump, meanwhile, has downplayed such warnings, emphasising US leadership in the AI race.