'I would love to see money out of politics': OpenAI’s Sam Altman rules out political donations for 2026 US elections

Key points

• OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman said he does not plan to contribute financially to this year’s US elections, even as several wealthy figures from Silicon Valley are committing significant sums to influence the midterm contests that will determine control of Congress.
• Speaking during a visit to Washington on Wednesday, Altman said he has no intention of personally funding political campaigns.
• However, he expressed understanding for industry leaders who have chosen to do so, citing what he sees as mounting political and public resistance toward the technology sector.
• “You can’t hold us to a different standard than all of our competitors.
• If they’re trying to use money to gang up on us, we have to be able to fight back,” Altman said after a meeting with Senator Bernie Sanders, a Vermont independent, on Capitol Hill.