OpenAI CEO Sam Altman meets with lawmakers, Trump officials in DC

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman met with lawmakers in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday, together with officials concerned with the manager order on synthetic intelligence that President Donald Trump signed this week.

Altman met with members of the Trump administration on the White Home, in line with an OpenAI spokesperson. He additionally sat down with Republican and Democratic members of Congress, together with Home Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., and Home Minority Chief Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., their representatives confirmed.

Johnson informed CNBC that he had a “excellent, productive assembly” with Altman. He stated they talked in regards to the newest developments in AI, and what the “gentle contact” framework for regulation can be to “stop a number of the harms that would come from it.”

OpenAI launched a coverage blueprint on Wednesday that outlined a number of suggestions for what a nationwide security framework for AI might seem like. The corporate stated the U.S. authorities ought to strengthen the Heart for AI Requirements and Innovation, construct on the rising security consensus rising from state-level rules and set up a broader resilience plan to deal with public security and nationwide safety challenges.

Trump on Tuesday signed an govt order asking AI corporations to voluntarily present the federal government entry to their fashions for as much as 30 days earlier than their launch. The order is skinny on particular particulars, however executives from main AI corporations, together with Altman, voiced their assist on social media.

“The U.S. ought to lead on AI by persevering with to develop the easiest fashions, ensuring they’re secure, and getting cyber instruments into the fingers of trusted defenders,” Altman wrote in a submit on X. “The brand new EO will get the stability proper.”

OpenAI kick-started the AI growth with the launch of its chatbot ChatGPT in 2022, and Altman has been a frequent customer on Capitol Hill in the years since. He met with lawmakers in March after OpenAI inked a controversial deal with the Pentagon, and he attended Trump’s inauguration final yr.

On Monday, OpenAI printed a weblog submit titled “Our views on AI coverage and political advocacy,” which stated the corporate has not donated to any candidates or campaigns. Moreover, OpenAI stated it has not began its personal employee-funded political motion committees or funded current PACs to “form the general public narrative round AI.”

The corporate pledged to maintain advocating for coverage “transparently” and in its personal title.

“We assist considerate regulation, rigorous testing of highly effective AI programs, sturdy security requirements, public accountability, and broad entry to AI’s advantages,” OpenAI stated.

— CNBC’s Emily Wilkins and Karen Sloan contributed to this report.

WATCH: Prime 5 moments from CNBC’s interview with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman