Sam Altman: The Unseen Power in AI Policy

Sam Altman is shaping AI policy more effectively than any political candidate in Washington.

### The Rise of Sam Altman: Shaping AI Policy in an Election Year
* 🔍 The future of technology policy in the U.S. is increasingly influenced by figures like **Sam Altman** rather than traditional political candidates like **Trump or Harris**.
* 💻 Altman has established strong connections in Washington, showcasing his ability to **communicate effectively with lawmakers** about the potential impacts of AI on **privacy, jobs, and national security**.
* 🏛 His recent appearances before Congress have been notably smoother compared to past tech leaders, as he **learns from the missteps of social media giants like Facebook**.
* 📊 Data shows that OpenAI is more proactive in lobbying efforts, with Altman and his team **quickly building relationships with Congress** to ensure **favorable conditions for AI development**.
* 🚦 While publicly advocating for AI safety regulations, Altman and OpenAI have opposed significant legislative measures that could impose **restrictions on their operations**, raising questions about their **trustworthiness**.
* 🌐 The stakes are high as the U.S. competes with China in the AI race, with Altman emphasizing the need for **American leadership to ensure that AI is developed with democratic values**.
* ⚡ OpenAI is also investing heavily in infrastructure and energy to support their technological advancements, highlighting the **urgency of their mission** in a **rapidly evolving landscape**.
* 📅 As we approach the 2024 elections, the influence of **Altman and Silicon Valley on AI policy** could prove to be one of the **most critical issues shaping the future of technology**.

Come election day, the future of tech. It won't be decided by Trump or Harris. I've worked with the private sector my entire career, even as vice president, working with some of the biggest banks and biggest tech companies. Google's got a lot of power. You would break them up, in other words. I'd do something since. That's about the extent of their tech policies. There's a man behind the curtain. My worst fears are that we cause significant, we, the field, the technology, the industry, cause significant harm to the world. OpenAI and its CEO, Sam Altman. They're doing more behind the scenes than any candidate is saying in public. We talked about the need for the US to have a general policy about AI leadership. At stake, powerful new technology in an increasingly AI-driven world that is impacting privacy, jobs, even national security.

I'm Deirdre Bosa, and this Week in Tech, why the most powerful person in tech policy isn't in Washington, but right here in San Francisco. Washington loves Sam Altman. This has been a tremendous hearing. Senators are noted for their short attention spans, but I've sat through this entire hearing and enjoyed every minute of it. This has been one of the best hearings I've had this Congress. Because over the past few years, Sam Altman has put on a masterclass in wooing lawmakers that are nervous about the impact of AI, especially after struggling to regulate the last big shift in tech social media. If this technology goes wrong, it can go quite wrong, and we want to be vocal about that. We want to work with the government to prevent that from happening. It means that now they've begun embracing AI. I put into my ChatGPT account should Congress

regulate AI ChatGPT. And it gave me four pros, four cons. It was very balanced in a way they never did Mark Zuckerberg in social media. From the viral awkward moments. Mr. Zuckerberg, would you be comfortable sharing with us the name of the hotel you stayed in last night? Um. Uh, no. To the dramatic. We didn't take a broad enough view of our responsibility. And that was a big mistake. And it was my mistake, and I'm sorry. And the hostel. So let me be clear. You do no fact-checking on any ads, is that correct? Altman's appearances have gone a lot more smoothly. Mr. Altman, I think you grew up in Saint Louis. If I'm not mistaken, it's great to see a fellow Missourian. It is. Thank you. I want to I want that noted especially underlined in the

record. Missouri is a great place. And were better received. Our hope is that the rest of the industry will follow the example that you and IBM, Miss Montgomery, have set by coming today and meeting with us, as you have done privately, in helping to guide what we're going to do. Experts say it's because OpenAI and the new crop of AI companies as a whole have learned from social media's missteps. Here's Katie Harbath, a consultant who used to be Facebook's public policy director. When you look at, like OpenAI, I think that they're really learning from what companies that came before them. Again, the Microsofts, the Googles, the Facebook's, what has worked well for them and what hasn't worked well for them. And they're trying to learn those lessons as they try to approach not just members of Congress in Washington, but also in the

States. One of the best examples is just how much faster Sam Altman has begun appearing on The Hill. Compared to past CEOs and companies. This chart from Harbath anchor change spells it out. Facebook was founded in 2004. Zuckerberg didn't testify until 14 years later. It only took OpenAI half that time, and even fewer for new companies like Anthropic and TikTok, a clear sign they've carefully watched and learned from social media's high profile blunders. You have folks like Sam Altman that are trying to get ahead of the inevitable questions that are going to be coming, and so he's been spending a lot of time on the hill, building those relationships with members of Congress, with their staff to try to explain and bring some transparency into how OpenAI is thinking about these things, trying to really shape the conversation very early on. Not everything has changed, though.

OpenAI, like tech companies before it, wants regulation, but they want it their way. In public, touting the need for AI safety nets. I believe that companies like ours can partner with governments, including ensuring that the most powerful AI models adhere to a set of safety requirements, facilitating processes to develop and update safety measures, and examining opportunities for global coordination. While behind the scenes opposing one of the only pieces of legislation to actually gain traction. OpenAI, the latest to oppose a new California bill that would add safety precautions to increasingly powerful models. That's sweeping AI. Bill that would have been one of the first moves towards real oversight of the nation's most dynamic new technology. But it was opposed by some of the biggest players in the industry, including Altman. That and other drama surrounding the influential founder has led some critics to call him

untrustworthy. What do you think of OpenAI? Do you trust Sam Altman? Not a bit. Others say the devil is in the details. It doesn't mean they have to be for all types of regulation because there is bad regulation. There is regulation that will have unintended consequences that people might not realize. Regulation will continue to be debated and negotiated in the months and the years ahead. Meanwhile, OpenAI's messaging is clear in the AI arms race. America needs to lead, and this time, lawmakers are buying in. Initially, AI and ChatGPT kind of came onto the scene. There was a lot of fear and panic, right, about what I might do in the world, the negative impacts that it might have. And you're starting to see that get pulled back some, particularly when you look at some of the legislation in California, for instance, that Newsom ended up vetoing.

Part of that was because of pressure from, you know, federal members of Congress and stuff like that, because they were worried about how it might impact innovation. People are worried about making sure we can stay competitive with China. Facebook and Google taught a new generation of tech companies how important it is to get their spin right before the public narrative has been set. But what could be the biggest lesson taken from social media? Getting the right people on their side. Lobbyists who have decades or more worth of experience building relationships in Washington. OpenAI might be new. The people they're employing to go and be on their government relations teams have been doing this for quite some time and have deep relationships with people in Congress working on tech issues. Sam and OpenAI are in a pretty good spot when it comes to both Congress and the administration. No matter who actually wins. No matter who wins.

That's key because Trump and Harris's tech policies, or lack thereof, mean Sam Altman is in a position to shape them. You've been enormously helpful in focusing us and illuminating some of these questions, and performed a great service by being here. He wields soft power with lawmakers backed up by hard power, leading the most valuable AI startup in the world. It used to be that lobbying was the domain of big tobacco and oil giants, but as tech's influence and reach have grown, so have its lobbying dollars. And now artificial intelligence is supercharging those efforts. In just the first quarter of 2024, the number of groups lobbying on AI issues surpassed the entire number for all of 2023, according to data from Opensecrets, a nonprofit that tracks and publishes data on campaign finance and lobbying. Among the most active is OpenAI, the startup

spent more than two other California-based AI companies in the latest quarter. Part of that may have to do with who Sam Altman has brought on to shape OpenAI's strategy in Washington. Chris Lehane, vice president of global affairs at OpenAI. Lehane was a political strategist in the Clinton White House before moving west to advise tech companies like Airbnb. His deep Washington connections and experience navigating complex policy environments have enabled him to bridge Silicon Valley interests with government policy. He's now leading OpenAI's efforts. Imagine if you could have been, like in Thomas Edison's lab, right? You got Nikola Tesla there. You got Edison, and you're building or at least seeing electricity being built. And while Sam Altman can work the charm offensive in Congress, Lehane can be more aggressive behind the scenes. Sam might be doing the more softer, like, soft diplomacy.

side and like, look at all the great things that OpenAI is bringing and like trying to be like the good cop. Chris has a reputation of playing the bad cop component of this of like kind of scorching the Earth. Like, we are going to spend a lot of money and we're going to attack you as members of Congress if we think you're going to be anti our positions, we're going to make it basically make your life you know kind of difficult unless you're like are following along with what we want to do. During his more than seven years at Airbnb, Lehane skillfully navigated regulatory challenges and shaped policy discussions. His efforts helped legalize and legitimize Airbnb's operations in key markets, while also providing tax dollars for local governments. Now, at OpenAI, his message to policymakers is bigger, the stakes larger. This is technology where we need to almost think about

it at the scale of a new deal, not the same types of infrastructure, but thinking about infrastructure as destiny, right. What the new deal really did is put the US in the position for the 20th century to become a democracy century. And as we think about AI at this particular moment that we're in, that infrastructure has the ability to help reindustrialize the country. Lehane says that if the US doesn't lead the way in AI, an autocratic nation like China will. You know, we are in this contest between China and the US to build AI. And that's democratic AI versus autocratic AI. And so there clearly are really significant national security implications for this. China's, you know, has talked about the idea that they want to be the dominant player in AI by 2030. Vladimir Putin, who I would typically never, ever

quote, you know, has said that whoever wins AI wins the world. And so the stakes here are enormous. And for the US, which is currently leading, but that lead is not guaranteed. But for the US to continue to lead in AI and therefore help ensure that it's actually built with democratic values, democratic principles, drives democratic benefits. Lehane and OpenAI's message is bipartisan and straightforward, one that any politician interested in national security and who opposes China and Russia can get behind. A policy about China should be in making sure the United States of America wins the competition for the 21st century. What they have given to China is unbelievable, but we're not going to let that. It also works to OpenAI's benefit. The startup needs compute power, which requires vast amounts of infrastructure and energy for the next technological breakthroughs. OpenAI just announced an improved model their AI

model. They say it has better reasoning. Amazon Web Services is announcing that it's investing more than half $1 billion in nuclear energy across three different projects, as it seeks carbon-free power for generative AI. Google, speaking of, is the latest tech giant to go nuclear to meet power needs for data centers and AI. In a race that is moving extremely fast. Artificial intelligence has been an object of fascination for decades in our imaginations. Open the pod bay doors, Hal. I'm sorry, Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that. It's no longer imaginary. And at these early stages, it's the people building the technology who have the power. Just like in the early stages of social media, lawmakers, they don't yet have a handle on AI. The stakes, meanwhile, are only growing as AI's impact touches more and more of our everyday lives.

chatbots in our browsers, robotaxis in the streets, misinformation in our news feeds, disrupting Hollywood, reshaping entire industries like energy and health care. These technologies, they're finally here, but they're still in the cradle. And we may look back on AI as one of the most important issues of 2024. For now, the power behind AI policy isn't on the campaign trail. It's in the hands of Sam Altman and Silicon Valley.

Why OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Is In Position To Shape AI Policy, No Matter Who Wins The Election

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The Power of Tech Policy: Sam Altman's Influence

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is playing a crucial role in shaping tech policy, particularly in AI, as he works behind the scenes to address lawmakers' concerns.

His approach to engaging with Congress has been more successful than previous tech leaders, leading to a more balanced discussion on AI regulation.

The impact of AI on privacy, jobs, and national security has made Altman's influence in San Francisco more significant than that of political leaders in Washington.

OpenAI's Strategic Approach to AI Regulation

OpenAI and other AI companies are learning from the mistakes of social media giants, leading to a quicker response to regulatory pressures.

Sam Altman has been proactive in building relationships with Congress, aiming to shape the conversation around AI regulation.

Despite publicly advocating for safety measures, OpenAI has opposed key legislation aimed at regulating powerful AI models, drawing criticism from some quarters.

OpenAI's Influence and Regulatory Challenges

OpenAI's leadership, particularly Sam Altman, is met with distrust, but the company's messaging in the AI arms race is gaining traction with lawmakers.

The debate over AI regulation is ongoing, with concerns about its impact on innovation and competition with China.

OpenAI's lobbying efforts in Washington are intensifying, with a growing number of groups advocating for AI issues, positioning the company to shape tech policies effectively.

OpenAI has outspent other California-based AI companies, driven by Sam Altman's leadership and Chris Lehane's political strategy.

Lehane's aggressive approach and deep Washington connections aim to bridge Silicon Valley interests with government policy, while also exerting pressure on Congress.

He emphasizes the importance of the US leading in AI to counter China's dominance, highlighting the national security implications of the global AI race.

The US is currently leading in AI, but that lead is not guaranteed, making the competition with China and Russia crucial.

OpenAI's need for compute power and infrastructure is driving their technological breakthroughs, while tech giants like Amazon and Google are investing in nuclear energy to meet AI's power demands.

The impact of AI is growing rapidly, touching various aspects of everyday life, and the power to shape AI policy is currently in the hands of tech leaders like Sam Altman.