Inside the alternative playbook to AI regulation

AI regulation in the U.S. over the last few months has been a frenzy. Some experts say it didn't have to be this way. AI companies and the government are praising each other for successful collaboration on rules for cutting-edge AI, but that view hides a scramble behind the scenes that could have been avoided. OpenAI and Anthropic's latest, most powerful models both ended up getting nods from the government before wide release. That would have been unthinkable just months ago. The two companies now know first-hand what it's like to release powerful models under the Trump administration's approach to regulation. That's featured export control threats, licensing requirements and negotiations with a host of government agencies that are sometimes at odds. Other AI labs are poised to face the same process, as a cybersecurity executive order detailing standards and procedures gets implemented.