Sam Altman's Foray into Politics and the Influence of Peter Thiel/Effective Altruism

Key Insight

Sam Altman demonstrated significant political ambition, reportedly telling his ex-partner Nathan Watters in 2016 that he would run for president if Hillary Clinton lost, though Altman disputes this claim. A New Yorker profile in October 2016 showcased his broad ambitions, including presidential aspirations which his family playfully teased him about. His commitment to political action was evident in his funding of 'VotePlz' for voter registration and 'Track Trump' to monitor campaign promises after Trump's victory. He also engaged directly with Trump voters to understand their perspectives, concluding that Democrats failed by 'mocking us, refusing to listen to us, and cutting us out'.

Altman explored a run for California governor, meeting with figures like alt-right blogger Charles Johnson, who recalled Altman's belief in a 'millennial president' and his techno-utopian vision for California. This vision included an economy funding scientific research (nuclear energy, AGI), tax tweaks to reduce housing costs, and an expanded social safety net via UBI. Despite seeking advice from political strategists and even former San Francisco mayor Willie Brown, who publicly dismissed his chances, Altman's business mentors like Peter Thiel and Michael Moritz cautioned him against entering politics. Ultimately, Altman characterized his gubernatorial thoughts as a 'passing flight of fancy', concluding he didn't want the job.

Opting against personal office, Altman released 'The United Slate' political platform, advocating for policies like Medicare for All, higher taxes on short-term capital gains, and redirecting 10 percent of the US defense budget to future technologies, with a strong focus on reducing housing costs. He backed candidates aligned with this platform, including Josh Harder, a Democrat who won a House seat. Concurrently, the Effective Altruism (EA) movement, shifting its focus from terrestrial issues to existential risks like AI, became a significant influence. In March 2017, Open Philanthropy, an EA foundation, donated $30 million to OpenAI, securing a board seat for Holden Karnofsky. This 'partnership' led to OpenAI re-evaluating its commitment to open-sourcing its technology, acknowledging safety concerns and stating it would 'create formal processes for keeping technologies private', marking 'the beginning of the end of Musk’s open-source dream'.