The US Commerce Department has reached new agreements with Google, Microsoft, and xAI to safety test their latest AI models, BBC reported. The new pacts build on voluntary safety commitments established during the Biden administration.

Background

This development comes as several top AI companies have simultaneously signed classified AI deals with the Pentagon, including Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Meta. Anthropic, however, was excluded from the Pentagon program due to issues with its “Mythos” AI model.

Significance

The safety testing agreements mark a transition from voluntary industry commitments to a more formal regulatory framework. The US government is attempting to balance AI innovation with safety oversight — supporting technological advancement while strengthening controls on model outputs.

Key implications:

  • This represents a shift from “voluntary pledges” to “mandatory testing”
  • Government involvement in AI safety assessment could become a regulatory template
  • Participating companies will undergo independent government safety reviews before model releases