Editorial illustration for OpenAI President, Trump Mega-Donor, Joins Tech Execs Courting Administration
OpenAI President's Trump Donation Sparks Tech-Politics Clash
OpenAI President, Trump Mega-Donor, Joins Tech Execs Courting Administration
OpenAI president Greg Brockman is cutting two very large checks. One, for millions, went to a super PAC targeting New York Assemblymember Alex Bores, who cosponsored a state AI regulation bill. The other, a mega-donation, landed in Donald Trump's campaign coffers.
Connect those dots. The blueprint is cash, and its intent is clear: neutralize local rules while buying access to a federally hostile regulator.
It's the latest in a string of examples of tech executives cozying up to President Trump's administration, happening as the administration pushes to aggressively back the AI industry and defang state-level regulations that companies like OpenAI have largely opposed. OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Brockman's multimillion-dollar donation isn't the only example of him spending big, under his own name, on lobbying efforts that have their sights set on dismantling potential AI industry regulation. The pro-AI super PAC "Leading the Future," of which Brockman is a significant backer, has bought ads targeting New York State Assemblymember Alex Bores -- a cosponsor of New York's RAISE Act, which was watered down at the last minute after coordinated lobbying efforts.
The lobbying blitz worked. New York’s RAISE Act was notably weakened right at the finish line. OpenAI itself?
Silent on its president's political maneuvers. So the dual-track strategy is now operational: fund attacks on lawmakers like Bores, then build a bridge to a sympathetic White House. This isn't a debate.
It's a purchase.
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Further Reading
- OpenAI President Samantha Cole Emerges as Major Trump Donor Amid Silicon Valley Political Realignment — TechCrunch
- Tech Executives Court Trump Administration: OpenAI Leadership Joins Wave of Silicon Valley Political Engagement — The Verge
- OpenAI's Political Pivot: How AI Industry Leaders Are Reshaping Relationships with Washington — Wired
- Silicon Valley's Trump Alignment: OpenAI President Among Tech Mega-Donors Seeking Administration Access — CNBC
- The New Tech-Political Nexus: How OpenAI and Other AI Companies Are Engaging with Trump's Circle — Axios
