Archive · 16 Sep 2026
OpenAI Backs Congress Bills Addressing AI Biological Threats
OpenAI is supporting several bills being considered by the United States Congress.
The bills focus on biological data and biology research.
OpenAI says they could help stop AI from making biological weapons or synthetic viruses more dangerous.
The company also supports having independent experts test the safety of powerful AI models.
These experts would evaluate models made by leading AI companies.
OpenAI has recently asked for national rules about AI safety.
It has also supported slowing down advanced AI development.
The bills are bipartisan, meaning lawmakers from both major parties support them.
OpenAI is endorsing three bipartisan bills before the United States Congress.
The proposed measures address biological data, AI-ready bio-data standards and scaling biology research.
OpenAI says the bills could help prevent AI models from accelerating biological weapon and synthetic virus threats.
The company also supports a FRONTIER Act provision requiring independent evaluators to assess leading AI models’ safety.
OpenAI has separately called for mandatory national AI safety requirements and a slowdown in advanced AI development.
- Who
- OpenAI and bipartisan members of the United States Congress are involved.
- What
- OpenAI endorsed three bills concerning biological data and biology research, as well as a safety-evaluation provision in the FRONTIER Act.
- When
- The endorsements were announced on Tuesday; OpenAI’s call for mandatory national AI safety requirements was reported last week.
- Where
- The measures are before the United States Congress.
- Why
- OpenAI says the proposals could help prevent AI models from accelerating biological weapon and synthetic virus threats.
- Endorsing organization
- OpenAI
- Bills supported
- The Web of Biological Data Act, the AI-Ready Bio-Data Standards Act and the Scale Biology Act
- Additional measure
- A provision of the FRONTIER Act requiring independent evaluators to assess leading AI companies’ model safety
- Stated goal
- Preventing AI models from accelerating biological weapon and synthetic virus threats
- Legislative characterization
- The bills are described as bipartisan
- Related OpenAI position
- OpenAI is pushing for mandatory national AI safety requirements in the United States
- Broader concern
- Heads of top United States AI labs have called for slowing advanced AI development