OpenAI CEO Sam Altman will make a $1 million personal donation to President-elect Trump's inaugural fund, joining other technology leaders who made similar donations this week.
The $1 million donation will come from Altman's funds, not from the ChatGPT maker itself, his spokesperson confirmed to The Hill. This differs from competitors in his industry, such as Mark Zuckerberg's Meta and Jeff Bezos' Amazon, which each donated $1 million as companies.
“President Trump will lead our country into the age of AI, and I am eager to support his efforts to ensure America stays ahead,” Altman said in a statement released by his press secretary on Friday.
The planned donation was First reported by FOX News.
Donating to presidential inauguration funds is nothing new, but the move marks a step toward technology that President Trump is trying to incorporate into his second term, especially in the wake of his emerging relationship with tech billionaire Elon Musk. Some observers see it as part of a broader effort by the industry.
The relationship between Mr. Zuckerberg and Mr. Trump has been somewhat contentious since Facebook banned former President Zuckerberg from its platform following the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. At one point, the former president called Facebook “the enemy of the people.”
Trump's relationship with Amazon and Bezos was also rocky during the president-elect's first term.
President Trump went after Amazon and the Washington Post. In 2019, the e-commerce giant argued in court that Bezos was not selected for a Pentagon contract because of his past criticism of Trump.
Musk has taken particular issue with OpenAI, which he helped found with Altman and others in 2015. The owners of Tesla and SpaceX accused Altman and OpenAI of manipulating him into supporting their artificial intelligence (AI) efforts by convincing them that he would develop safe and transparent AI.
He is currently suing OpenAI for allegedly abandoning its nonprofit philosophy and becoming a for-profit company.
Mr. Altman, along with Amazon owner Jeff Bezos, dismissed concerns that Mr. Musk would use his growing political influence to try to stifle competitors.
Altman said earlier this month that he was “very sad” about his strained relationship with Musk but believed he would do the “right thing.”
“I strongly believe that Elon will do the right thing, and I believe it is deeply un-American for Elon to use his political power to the detriment of his competitors and benefit his own business.” he said.New York Times Deal Book Conference.
Bezos, the owner of the Washington Post and the aerospace company Blue Origin, expressed similar sentiments about Musk, despite various disputes over the years.
Amazon ownerSpeaking at the DealBook conferenceHe takes Musk's comments “at face value” and doesn't think Musk will punish his opponents.
Amid concerns, Musk reposted Altman and Bezos' statements last week, writing, “They're right,” and saying he has no intention of using his influence to harm or take revenge on industry competitors. suggested that no.
