OpenAI sets a deadline to gather signatures by the end of next week

OpenAI wants pens on paper, and it wants them fast. The company aims to lock in signatures by the end of next week, according to a post on X.

The timing matters because OpenAI has spent much of 2026 collecting signatures. Its targets have included cyber defense pledges, state legislation and industry-wide safety commitments.

What OpenAI is chasing

The most prominent is OpenAI’s cyber defense push. On August 27, 2026, the company published an open letter calling for collective action against AI-enabled cyber threats.

Over 150 organizations backed that letter. It has kept attracting new names since launch.

As of October 21, 2026, more than 100 organizations were still publicly supporting the cyber defense initiative. The signatory list was also continuing to grow.

On October 22, 2026, OpenAI was reportedly seeking signatures connected to its broader work on cyber defense policy and regulatory frameworks. No concrete timeline or new policy tied to that effort has been confirmed.

A busy year of letters

In a letter dated October 20, 2026, OpenAI endorsed California’s SB 53, an AI transparency law. The company backed provisions calling for mandatory independent audits, emergency controls and incident reporting.

OpenAI has also supported four California bills introduced in September 2026.

Then there is the July 28, 2026, letter known as “Pacing the Frontier.” That employee-led initiative gathered over 1,100 signatures from AI professionals advocating for the responsible development of frontier AI.

The letter drew endorsements from both OpenAI and Anthropic.

The broader backdrop includes model misalignment incidents documented earlier in the year.