During an interview with The Economist, Musk proposed that rival AI labs, including those in China, should be given time to inspect each other’s latest models before release and report potential risks to governments.

  • Musk warned that the capabilities of frontier AI models are improving at a rapid pace, increasing the need for safeguards before new systems are released.
  • He pointed to a recent proposal by Google DeepMind co-founder Demis Hassabis for an industry-led body to evaluate advanced AI models for potential dangers.
  • Musk said ensuring the safety of increasingly capable AI models may require cooperation even among fierce rivals, including OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.

Space Exploration Technologies Corp. (SPCX) and Tesla Inc. (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk on Thursday warned that rapidly advancing AI models pose imminent risks, saying the industry's leading developers should work together to identify potential dangers before releasing new systems.

During an interview with The Economist, Musk proposed that rival AI labs, including those in China, should be given time to inspect each other’s latest models before release and report potential risks to governments.

SpaceX shares were up 0.3% in Thursday’s pre-market trade.

Why Musk Wants AI Labs To Police Each Other

Musk warned during the interview that the capabilities of frontier AI models are improving at a rapid pace, increasing the need for safeguards before new systems are released. He pointed to a recent proposal by Google DeepMind co-founder Demis Hassabis for an industry-led body to evaluate advanced AI models for potential dangers.

Musk said the effort should extend beyond U.S. companies to include Chinese AI developers, arguing that rival labs should be given one or two weeks to inspect each other's latest models before release and flag potential risks to governments in Washington and Beijing.

"The competitors can keep each other honest," he said.

Musk Open To Burying The Hatchet With Altman

Musk said ensuring the safety of increasingly capable AI models may require cooperation even among fierce competitors. That could include working with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, despite their years-long legal dispute and public feud stemming from the early days of the company they co-founded.

“At the end of the day, if we have to talk, we’ll talk,” Musk said. He also said that they may have to set aside their personal differences “for the good of the world.”

Musk has repeatedly accused Altman and OpenAI of abandoning the organization's founding nonprofit mission in favor of commercial interests, leading to lawsuits and an unsuccessful $97.4 billion takeover bid in February 2025 for the nonprofit controlling OpenAI.

Musk Opposes Ban On Chinese AI Models

Musk pushed back against efforts to bar American companies from using Chinese AI models, arguing such restrictions would do little to slow China's progress in artificial intelligence.

His remarks closely mirror Nvidia Corp. (NVDA) CEO Jensen Huang's comments earlier on Wednesday that U.S. companies should “absolutely” use Chinese AI models.

Instead, he said Chinese developers would likely continue advancing despite U.S. attempts to curb their access to cutting-edge technology.

Musk also expressed confidence that China will eventually overcome its shortage of advanced AI chips by developing its own lithography machines.

What Retail Traders Think Of SPCX Stock

Retail sentiment on Stocktwits around SpaceX trended in the ‘neutral’ territory at the time of writing.

SPCX stock is down 23% year-to-date. The S&P 500 ETF (SPY) is up 19% over the past 12 months, while the Invesco QQQ Trust (QQQ) is up 26%.

For updates and corrections, email newsroom[at]stocktwits[dot]com.<