OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has outlined three possible paths for the future of advanced artificial intelligence, highlighting the growing debate over how the technology should be developed and managed safely. The options range from international oversight to collaboration between leading AI research organisations, as well as a scenario in which one company gains overwhelming control over the industry.

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According to reports about an internal discussion with OpenAI employees, one proposal involves creating an international watchdog similar to the International Atomic Energy Agency. Such an organisation could help establish safety standards and oversee the development of increasingly powerful AI systems.

A second possibility would bring major AI research laboratories together under a single organisation. The proposed model has been compared to CERN, the international scientific research centre, where countries collaborate on large-scale scientific projects. The idea would be to coordinate AI development and improve cooperation on safety.

The third scenario involves a single AI company gaining enough technological and financial power to restrict competitors' access to computing resources. This could allow one organisation to dominate advanced AI development while preventing other developers from keeping pace.

Altman reportedly described this third outcome as “terrible”, indicating that he did not favour a future in which one company holds such overwhelming control.

The discussion comes amid growing concerns about the risks associated with advanced AI, including the possibility of losing control over increasingly capable systems and concentrating too much power in a small number of organisations.

International cooperation, shared safety standards and effective oversight are emerging as important issues for the AI industry. However, establishing common rules will require coordination among governments and companies competing to develop the technology.

The three scenarios highlight a central challenge facing the industry: how to encourage AI innovation while reducing risks and preventing excessive concentration of power.