Isn't an arms race an apt comparison, though, particularly if we consider general AI (of superior intellect to us, not the basic toys we have now) to be an existential threat to humanity? Look at our other one: nuclear weapons. After all the political pandering is done, the people who actually decide how nuclear weapons are managed, what rules govern them, etc. ...Are the very countries who have that power.

Conceivably, the organizations or entities which decide what rules AI must follow may very likely be those which can create the technology. OpenAI is at least a couple years behind what, a dozen companies? If OpenAI wishes for a seat at that table, they have a lot of catching up to do.