The United States is preparing to promote a lighter approach to artificial-intelligence regulation at the G20 Innovation Ministerial in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, on September 1 and 2, 2026. Reuters reported on September 1 that White House technology adviser Michael Kratsios would ask participating countries to support a policy framework described as the “Carolina Principles.”
The proposal's central argument is that governments should not create a separate regulator or a new set of rules for every emerging AI capability. According to prepared remarks reviewed by Reuters, the principles would reserve new regulation for genuinely novel issues that existing policy cannot address, encourage investment in foundational research and strengthen commercial opportunities for new technology. These are stated United States objectives before the meeting's conclusion, not a binding G20 outcome already adopted by members.
An official August 14 advisory from the United States Department of Commerce confirms that the department and the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy are co-hosting the ministerial. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Michael Kratsios and commerce and technology ministers from G20 members are listed as participants. The official programme places the event at the Carolina Inn on September 1 and 2 and includes government remarks, discussion sessions and press availability.
Reuters also reported that the United States would press countries not to establish new regulatory organisations dedicated to supervising AI development. Such an approach could reduce additional compliance requirements for American companies that release models and products quickly. The policy debate, however, extends beyond commercial speed. Model testing, cybersecurity, privacy, misuse, accountability and public trust remain major issues, and governments do not currently agree on one regulatory model.
Senior technology executives are expected to take part in the gathering. Reuters said OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman and Nvidia chief executive Jensen Huang would appear in separate sessions with ministers. Elon Musk, Meta chief executive Mark Zuckerberg and Google DeepMind co-founder Demis Hassabis were also expected to address participants by video. Their involvement makes the ministerial important not only for public policy but also for the competitive strategies of companies building widely used AI systems.
The discussion is unfolding while competition between the United States and China in artificial intelligence is accelerating. Reuters noted that Chinese open-weight models are becoming more capable relative to proprietary systems from leading American developers. United States officials view continued alignment with the American technology ecosystem as strategically important. Canada, meanwhile, was expected to argue that innovation should be balanced with public trust and safety, illustrating that participating governments may support different levels of oversight.
Hürriyet Daily News also reported on September 1 that Washington would seek a commitment to light-touch regulation and discourage the creation of new AI oversight bodies. Its report noted that some technology figures and policy voices have called for stronger testing and governance of the most powerful systems. The central tension at the meeting is therefore between accelerating innovation and establishing credible safeguards for high-impact technologies.
The legal importance of any result will depend on the final language, the countries that endorse it and whether governments later translate the principles into national policy. At this stage, the Carolina Principles should be described as a United States proposal rather than a settled global standard. Mefico News will separately verify the final ministerial statement, participating countries' positions and any agreed wording once official documents are published.
