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The coordination gap in frontier AI safety policies

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  • Isaak Mengesha

Abstract

Frontier AI Safety Policies concentrate on prevention -- capability evaluations, deployment gates, and usage constraints -- while neglecting institutional capacity to coordinate responses when prevention fails. We argue that this coordination gap is structural: investments in ecosystem robustness yield diffuse benefits but concentrated costs, generating systematic underinvestment. Drawing on risk regimes in nuclear safety, pandemic preparedness, and critical infrastructure, we propose that similar mechanisms -- precommitment, shared protocols, and standing coordination venues -- could be adapted to frontier AI governance. Without such architecture, institutions cannot learn from failures at the pace of relevance.

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  • Isaak Mengesha, 2026. "The coordination gap in frontier AI safety policies," Papers 2603.10015, arXiv.org.
    • Handle: RePEc:arx:papers:2603.10015
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