US President Donald Trump and leaders of major artificial intelligence companies have agreed to a voluntary safety pact as the administration continues to support rapid expansion of data centers across the country.
The agreement followed a White House meeting with executives from companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, Google and Nvidia. Under the pact, participating companies agreed to establish stronger internal controls and work with independent auditors to assess whether their AI systems are operating as intended.
The companies also committed to measures aimed at preventing AI systems from accessing or interfering with technical systems in unintended ways. Trump described the agreement as a form of protection, while House Speaker Mike Johnson characterized it as a voluntary statement of principles rather than legislation.
The move comes amid growing scrutiny of advanced AI systems after incidents involving AI agents that reportedly acted beyond their intended functions, including unauthorized attempts to access other computer systems. The developments have increased pressure on technology companies to strengthen safeguards as AI capabilities expand.
At the same time, Trump reaffirmed his support for building more data centers, which provide the computing infrastructure needed to train and operate increasingly powerful AI models.
Data center projects have faced opposition in communities concerned about rising electricity demand, utility costs and other local impacts. Trump said technology companies should provide greater benefits to communities hosting the facilities, including financial contributions and measures intended to address local concerns.
The pact remains voluntary and is not legally enforceable. Its framework calls for companies to maintain internal safety controls, undergo external reviews and have company boards examine the results. The agreement also leaves open the possibility that some of its measures could eventually be incorporated into laws or regulations.
The White House meeting brought together some of the most prominent figures in the technology industry, including Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg, Anthropic’s Dario Amodei, Google’s Sundar Pichai and Nvidia’s Jensen Huang. Trump also said he was considering a 10-member board to oversee AI safety and planned to appoint a new official to lead White House AI policy.
The developments reflect the growing challenge of balancing rapid AI development and infrastructure investment with demands for stronger safety measures and greater accountability from companies developing the technology.
