Descriptions:
Bloomberg Technology interviews George Osborne — former UK Chancellor of the Exchequer and now OpenAI’s head of government engagement — about what it looks like when a frontier AI lab works directly with national governments. Drawing on roughly six months in the role, Osborne describes active deals OpenAI has struck: every Maltese citizen who completes an AI course gains access to ChatGPT Plus, Singapore has become a hub for forward-deployed engineering, and Greece has integrated AI into its school system with measurable improvements already showing up in early results.
Osborne’s central observation is that most governments are driven by FOMO — they know they need AI — but many are still in the ambition phase rather than actual delivery. He points to early U.S. productivity data as evidence that early adopters are seeing real gains, while noting European economies have yet to capture the same effect. The UK’s stated goal of becoming the fastest AI-adopting nation in the G7 is praised for its ambition but questioned on execution.
The interview also covers AI safety governance: Osborne responds to Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei’s position that governments should be able to block frontier model releases on safety grounds, suggesting OpenAI’s approach has been to lead through published policy papers rather than endorsing government veto power. Youth safety, age verification, and the distinction between regulating AI versus social media are also addressed. The interview offers a rare direct look at how OpenAI is positioning itself with governments worldwide.
📺 Source: Bloomberg Technology · Published June 11, 2026
🏷️ Format: Interview
