Trump's AI Accord Met with Skepticism as FTC Launches Investigation and Industry Restricts Access

A voluntary AI safety accord signed by six major AI companies, including Anthropic, Google, Meta, Nvidia, OpenAI, and xAI, has been met with both praise and criticism. The agreement, announced by President Donald Trump on September 29, 2026, is a non-binding framework that relies on the industry's self-policing. The accord calls for internal monitoring, empowered safety teams, independent auditors with whistleblower-style protections, and board-level safety committees.

The accord's credibility is already being tested as the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has opened an investigation into OpenAI, Anthropic, and other AI companies over product risks. Google has also restricted access to its newest model, Gemini 4 Argon, to a vetted group of cybersecurity experts. This development suggests that regulatory pressure and industry caution may ultimately determine the success of the accord's self-policing approach.

A McKinsey report released on the same day projects that AI and automation could diminish demand for 36 million US jobs by 2035, while creating 40 to 41 million new positions. The report highlights the need for workers to adapt to new occupations, with approximately 11 million workers requiring entirely new skills.