4 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Jul 15, 2026 10:26 AM IST Google DeepMind founder and CEO Demis Hassabis wants the US to set clear standards to determine what qualifies as a Frontier Lab. In a detailed blog post, the Nobel laureate proposed creating an independent regulatory body, similar to those used in the US financial industry, that would assess the world’s most advanced AI models before they are publicly released.
Hassabis’s proposal comes amid the US government’s increased scrutiny of frontier AI models, including Anthropic’s Mythos model and OpenAI’s GPT-5.6 that has triggered a debate over how advanced AI should be evaluated before release. Hassabis suggested a 30-day pre-release assessment window for frontier models, which is reportedly longer than the largely voluntary evaluations but shorter than many existing regulatory review processes.
In his post titled ‘A Framework for Frontier AI and the Dawning of a New Age’, the AI researcher argues that artificial general intelligence (AGI), systems with human-level cognitive capabilities, could arrive within the next few years, making common safety standards an imperative.
“When we look back on this time in the decades to come, I think we will realise we were standing in the foothills of the singularity – nothing less than the dawning of a new age for humanity.”
He said AGI has the potential to become one of the most transformative technologies in history, drawing parallels with the discoveries of electricity and fire. According to Hassabis, it could speed up scientific breakthroughs in areas like drug discovery, clean energy and advanced materials while driving significant economic growth. “The magnitude of this technology’s impact will be unprecedented, perhaps 10x that of the Industrial Revolution at 10x the speed,” he wrote.
However, Hassabis also warned that AI capabilities are advancing faster than society’s understanding of its risks. He underscored cybersecurity, biological threats and future autonomous AI systems as areas that would require stronger safeguards. “Nobody in the world knows for sure what is going to happen from here, and even the experts disagree,” he wrote.
“When there is a large degree of uncertainty and the stakes are this high, proceeding with cautious optimism is the sensible and correct strategy.”Story continues below this ad
Hassabis also makes a case for the need for public policy that promotes innovation while also incentivising responsibility and security, thereby fostering international collaboration on key safety issues and encouraging careful consideration of how AI is deployed for the benefit of society.
Frontier AI Standards body
In order to address these mounting concerns, Hassabis proposed a frontier AI standards body in the US through a public-private partnership, much similar to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA). The body would define technical benchmarks for identifying frontier AI models and conduct meticulous evaluations before deployment.
As per his proposed body, at first, AI developers would voluntarily submit their frontier models for review up to 30 days before launch. If the framework proves effective, Hassabis suggested these assessments could eventually become a requisite for models released in the US.
Besides, the standards body would test models for risks related to cybersecurity, biological threats and other national security concerns, while also assessing whether these systems attempt to bypass safety measures or display deceptive behaviour. Companies designated as Frontier Labs would also be encouraged to publish model cards, strengthen cybersecurity practices, invest in safety research and cooperate on fixing vulnerabilities after release.Story continues below this ad
Hassabis said the framework should evolve alongside AI, with benchmarks updated regularly and independent experts helping design new tests. Although the proposal focuses on the US, he said it could become the basis for international standards governing the most powerful AI systems. “The future is not yet written,” Hassabis wrote.
“We must use this precious window before AGI arrives to shape this technology for the benefit of all humanity.” He added that safely developing AGI could lead to “a new golden age of scientific discovery and progress” while benefiting society as a whole.