Trump hosts AI leaders and backs voluntary safety accord

In short: President Donald Trump met major AI and tech leaders and supported a voluntary “White House Accord on Superintelligence” that companies say they will follow.

What happened

President Donald Trump met with prominent technology and AI executives at the White House on September 29, 2026. Attendees reportedly included leaders from OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, Google, Nvidia, Amazon, Microsoft, Palantir, and X. The discussion focused on AI safety and oversight, as more people call for stronger safeguards.

The executives endorsed a voluntary agreement described as the White House Accord on Superintelligence. Reported steps include internal risk reviews, independent outside audits and evaluations (like hiring an external inspector to check your work), board-level oversight, and regular meetings to develop safety standards and best practices.

Trump described the commitment as “morally binding” and said companies would “police themselves.” The accord is not legally enforceable, meaning it does not carry legal penalties if a company does not follow it. Reports say it leaves open the possibility that some measures could later become laws or government regulations.

Trump also said the US government will use the term “super intelligence” instead of “artificial intelligence” in official communications. He argued that the word “artificial” makes the technology sound fake. This is a change in wording, not a new technical category.

Why it matters

This meeting creates a public set of promises, but it does not create enforceable rules. For the public, the key question is whether companies checking themselves will be enough as AI systems become more capable, or whether binding government oversight will follow.

Source: NYTimes