OpenAI published a blog post on 10 July 2019 outlining its position on cooperation for AI safety [source]. The post argued that responsible AI development requires collaboration across research institutions and industry actors, particularly as systems approach advanced capabilities.

The company stated it would share safety-relevant information with other AI labs and policymakers when appropriate, while acknowledging tensions between openness and security concerns. OpenAI described a framework where technical safety research would be published broadly, but details about large-scale models might be restricted if misuse risks were identified.

The post followed OpenAI's February 2019 decision to stage the release of GPT-2, initially withholding the full model due to concerns about malicious text generation. That approach drew criticism from researchers who questioned whether the risks justified departure from open research norms.

In the July post, OpenAI committed to developing norms around responsible disclosure and said it would "err on the side of caution" when releasing powerful models. The company indicated it would assess each system's capabilities and potential harms before determining release strategy.

The framework described cooperation as essential for addressing risks that no single organization could manage alone, including coordinated responses to misuse and shared safety standards. OpenAI stated it would work with other labs, civil society, and governments to develop these practices.

The post represented an early articulation of staged release policies that have since become more common across AI providers. It established OpenAI's public position that safety considerations could justify limiting access to model weights and technical details, a stance that has evolved as the company's models have grown more capable.