Sam Altman Calls for IAEA-Like Global Body to Regulate AI at Summit

Altman called for urgent international regulation of artificial intelligence at the India AI Impact Summit, proposing a body similar to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to manage risks from rapidly advancing AI systems.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman delivered a stark warning at the India AI Impact Summit 2026, urging world leaders to establish coordinated global oversight of artificial intelligence before the technology outpaces regulatory frameworks.

Speaking in New Delhi, Altman proposed a multilateral governance body modelled on the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), arguing that advanced AI tools particularly open-source biological models could be dangerously misused without proper safeguards. He emphasised that the rapid pace of AI development demands global cooperation, not fragmented national regulation.

Altman also used the platform to criticise the growing practice of AI washing, where companies falsely claim AI capabilities to attract investment or customers. His remarks at the summit were particularly significant given the scale of AI investment commitments made by Indian conglomerates and global tech giants during the same week.

The call for an IAEA-like AI oversight body reflects a broader consensus emerging among AI leaders that no single nation can effectively govern the technology alone and that a multilateral framework is needed before the next generation of AI systems are deployed at scale.

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