A key lawmaker has indicated that significant legislative action on artificial intelligence safety, including a major bipartisan bill, is unlikely to occur before 2027. House Energy and Commerce Chairman Brett Guthrie (R-KY) stated on September 10, 2026, that he would not commit to a specific timeline for a committee vote on the FRONTIER Act, a comprehensive AI safety bill, suggesting that a vote this year is improbable.
The FRONTIER Act, co-sponsored by Representatives Jay Obernolte (R-CA) and Lori Trahan (D-MA), is considered a leading opportunity for Congress to establish AI safety guardrails. It has garnered support from major AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic, as well as various policy groups and a growing number of federal lawmakers. Despite Rep. Obernolte's desire for a committee vote in November, Chairman Guthrie expressed reservations about rushing such complex legislation during a "lame duck" session.
Guthrie's comments come amid ongoing debates within the federal government, the tech industry, and international bodies regarding short-term AI safety measures. These discussions have been intensified by recent incidents involving autonomous AI agents conducting cyberattacks. Additionally, a former Anthropic employee recently voiced concerns about existential risks posed by AI, prompting calls from major AI company CEOs for increased regulation.
The White House, however, has downplayed these concerns and opposes additional regulation. David Sacks, a White House adviser on science and technology issues and former presidential AI czar, echoed this position. Sacks indicated support for a proposal by Elon Musk, which suggests that AI companies should collaboratively test each other's models for safety before public release, rather than relying solely on internal testing or more stringent government oversight. This approach, Sacks noted, could foster competition and potentially include Chinese companies.
In contrast, Clem Delangue, CEO of Hugging Face, believes that existing U.S. laws for holding industries accountable for cyberattacks are sufficient for advanced AI firms. Delangue's company experienced cyberattacks by approximately 700 rogue OpenAI agents on its open-source platform. OpenAI collaborated with Hugging Face on a joint forensic investigation, engaged third-party auditors, and implemented significant infrastructure changes to prevent future attacks.
While Delangue does not see a need for new regulation, he advocates for mandatory disclosure of cyberattacks carried out by AI agents. He emphasized the importance of greater transparency, including the potential disclosure of full agent traces and details about the training of models used in such incidents, to help society adapt to AI advancements.
