The lawmakers suggested the companies used contributions to “cozy up” to President-elect Donald Trump’s administration to avoid regulatory scrutiny.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed Friday that Democratic senators had sent him a letter alleging "he has a clear and direct interest in obtaining favors" from Donald Trump and is using his donations "to cozy up" to the incoming administration to avoid regulatory scrutiny.

The CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman took to his social media account on X (formerly Twitter) to share his thoughts about a letter of inquiry he received from Senators Elizabeth Warren and Michael Bennet. The letter raised questions about the motivations behind his donation to the incoming president’s inaugural fund.

Today on the Big Take: Josh Tyrangiel unpacks his wide-ranging interview with Sam Altman about OpenAI’s future. After CEO Sam Altman was dramatically fired and rehired in November 2023, he got right back to work building up OpenAI, best known for ChatGPT.

Trump's inaugural fund is reportedly the largest in recent history, having raised more from corporate donors than any other inauguration in the last 16 years. The donations, while symbolic, show that some corporations are vying for a friendly relationship with the president-elect and his incoming administration.

Sam Altman's OpenAI is backing a new AI initiative from a group where John Kerry was a founding member that has voiced support for liberal causes in the past.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman pushed back on Senate Democrats questioning his motivations over donating a million dollars to President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration fund. Altman was sent a letter accusing him and other Big Tech CEOs of an apparent “effort toinfluence and sway the actions and policies of the incoming administration” from Sens.

OpenAI CEO and co-founder OpenAI clapped back at two Democratic senators’ inquiry into his $1 million personal donation to President-elect Trump’s inaugural fund, quipping on Friday he was not subject to the same scrutiny for his past donations to Democrats.