OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has proposed that US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping could win the Nobel Peace Prize by signing a one-page AI safety treaty, according to an interview with Fortune.
Altman argues that leaders of the world's two dominant AI superpowers could earn the diplomatic honor by agreeing on mutual standards for AI safety. He frames the Nobel Prize as an incentive mechanism, noting Trump's known interest in the award and suggesting Xi would benefit from signaling that China takes AI governance seriously on the global stage.
The Safety Case
AI experts estimate there is over a 10% chance that artificial intelligence could lead to human extinction within the next decade, according to the article. This risk underscores the stakes of an agreement between the US and China, which are engaged in an AI arms race with implications far beyond market competition.
Altman has called for the US to actively participate in international forums on AI safety standards, suggesting his treaty concept reflects a broader philosophy about government engagement with the technology.
May Summit Discussions
Trump and Xi met at a summit in May 2026 where AI safety was a central topic. The leaders reportedly focused on preventing non-state actors from obtaining dangerous AI models, a concern that has grown as open-source and leaked model weights make powerful capabilities more accessible.
The summit ended without a formal agreement on AI regulation or safety standards. Geopolitical tensions over trade, semiconductor export controls, and technology decoupling between the nations prevented a deal, with chip export restrictions remaining a particularly contentious issue.
Broader Momentum for AI Safety
Calls for governance of AI development are gaining traction beyond Altman's proposal. US Senator Bernie Sanders has called for a pause in AI development and restrictions on superintelligent systems. Other AI leaders have echoed calls for the tech community to voluntarily slow advancement for safety reasons.
Altman's framing addresses a core governance challenge: no single company wants to slow development if competitors continue, and no single country wants restrictions that disadvantage its domestic industry. A bilateral US-China agreement could establish global benchmarks that apply across the technology sector.
