WASHINGTON (AFP)

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday signed an executive order creating a voluntary framework under which AI developers will share advanced models with the government before public release.

The central provision allows companies such as OpenAI, Google, or Anthropic to give the government access to their most powerful models for up to 30 days before planned release.

The order was triggered by concerns over Anthropic's Mythos model, which the AI startup has held back from the public due to its ability to expose vulnerabilities in computer systems, including those of banks, governments, and hospitals.

The 30-day window represents a compromise. The original draft called for up to 90 days of pre-release government access, while tech companies had pushed to cut that figure to just 14 days.

For OpenAI chief Sam Altman, the executive order "gets the balance right."

"The US should lead on AI by continuing to develop the very best models, making sure they're safe, and getting cyber tools into the hands of trusted defenders," Altman said.

Kent Walker, Google's head of public affairs, called the order an "important step forward" that will ensure "defenders have the AI tools they need to keep America secure."

And Anthropic called the order "an important step in strengthening America's leadership in AI."

Trump scrapped an AI oversight order on his first day back in the White House. The order required AI companies to share safety test results with the government and leaned heavily on voluntary commitments.

By contrast, the European Union's AI Act -- which entered into force in 2024 -- sets binding rules for high-risk AI systems, including mandatory transparency requirements and, for the most powerful models, obligations around safety testing and incident reporting.