OpenAI Says It Will 'Pace the Frontier' When Safety Demands It, CFO Friar Says

OpenAI said it is prepared to slow, or "pace," its development of frontier artificial intelligence systems if safety considerations demand it, according to comments from the company's finance chief, Sarah Friar, at OpenAI's DevDay 2026 conference.

The remarks came as part of live coverage of the event, which also featured a keynote address from OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman alongside other developer-focused announcements.

Safety and Speed

OpenAI's DevDay conferences have become a regular venue for the company to unveil new tools and features for developers building on its models. This year's event drew attention in part for comments addressing the tension between rapid AI development and safety considerations, a topic that has drawn increasing scrutiny across the technology industry.

Friar's comment suggests the company sees safety as a factor that could influence the speed of its progress, even as it continues to compete at the front of the generative AI industry.

Further specifics from the keynote and other DevDay announcements were part of the event's ongoing live coverage.