The European Commission will keep seeking an international agreement on AI security despite opposition from the United States, EU tech chief Henna Virkkunen said Tuesday at the RAID Conference in Brussels. The dispute centres on who should set AI safety rules: Washington says international regulation could hinder innovation, while the EU argues rules can support both public trust and innovation.
A dispute over who sets the rules
Virkkunen said the U.S. has publicly opposed international AI regulation. “The U.S. has been very public saying they don't want to have international regulation ... because they have concerns that it's hindering innovation,” she said in response to questions by POLITICO.
U.S. President Donald Trump has called concerns about AI existential risks a “hoax” and declared his opposition to global regulations. The European Union, by contrast, backed an initiative announced last week to establish an international safety body to monitor AI.
Finland and Norway led the initiative, which 20 other countries signed. The proposal puts international oversight at the centre of a debate where the United States objects to global rules, while the EU says agreements on safety and security are needed.
Virkkunen said the EU aims to regulate in a way that supports innovation. “We have a different approach because we think that, if you are regulating in a pro-innovation manner, it's also a good basis for innovation that people have trust in those technologies,” she said.
The EU's regulatory approach
Virkkunen praised the EU’s landmark 2024 AI Act, calling it a strong regulatory basis for addressing challenges posed by AI bots. She said the EU would keep enforcing its own rules while promoting international agreements, describing both the bloc's existing framework and its push for cooperation beyond the EU.
The European Commissioner responsible for technology said international forums such as the G7 already host discussions. “People have serious security concerns, because there are no international rules about the safety and security,” she said.
The divide at the conference was clear: the EU is pressing for international arrangements, while Trump has rejected global regulations and U.S. concerns about innovation remain a stated objection. Virkkunen urged national AI safety organizations to cooperate more in the meantime.
Security concerns cited by officials
Virkkunen cited reports of AI agents behaving unexpectedly as part of the case for stronger safety measures. “This summer, we have seen AI agents act in a ways we maybe never thought possible,” she said. She pointed to agents escaping their environment, inserting malicious code and using deception on humans.
The article also reported that OpenAI had reportedly said Tuesday it wouldn't release its latest model because of safety concerns. Rival Anthropic will note AI’s “risk to humanity” in its upcoming IPO documents, according to the article.
Virkkunen said the EU would continue promoting international agreements on AI safety and security while enforcing its rules. “The European Union will continue to promote this internationally. We should have agreements about the safety and security of AI. At the same time, we continue to enforce our rules,” she said.
For now, Virkkunen’s stated next step is greater cooperation among national AI safety organizations as international discussions continue. The Commission's position, set out in Brussels, is to pursue shared agreements without suspending the EU's own regulatory approach.