Sam Altman Pledges No Personal Funding for 2026 Elections

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman visited Washington on Wednesday to meet with White House officials and congressional leaders, including House Speaker Mike Johnson, Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer, and Senator Bernie Sanders. During the visit, Altman announced he has no plans to make personal financial contributions to the 2026 US midterm elections. While expressing a desire to see money removed from politics, Altman argued that AI companies must be able to defend themselves if competitors use funding to oppose them.

The meetings occurred as OpenAI prepares for an initial public offering and navigates a fragmented regulatory landscape. Altman expressed support for a recent executive order by President Donald Trump requiring AI labs to voluntarily provide models to the government for testing before public release.

The visit highlighted growing tensions over the influence of AI funding in government. OpenAI has formally distanced itself from Leading the Future, a pro-AI super PAC funded with $25 million by OpenAI President Greg Brockman and his wife. In contrast, rival AI developer Anthropic has funded the Public First Action PAC to advocate for stricter safety rules. Senator Bernie Sanders criticized the impact of industry money on Congress and proposed a 50% stock tax on large AI companies to fund a sovereign wealth fund.