AI safety groups aren’t buying OpenAI’s spending retreat

AI safety advocates remain skeptical of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's recent shift in stance regarding political spending during the midterms. Altman's admission that campaign contributions from industry-aligned groups, including OpenAI-aligned Leading the Future super PAC, might have backfired, has not convinced them that the company is genuinely altering its strategy.

Democratic New York Assemblymember Alex Bores, a prominent AI regulation advocate, remains unconvinced, asserting that candidates should be cautious about accepting financial support from Leading the Future. Bores emphasized that officials of either party taking funds from the super PAC should be viewed with suspicion. Charlie Blaettler, political director of Guardrails Alliance, echoed this sentiment, stating that OpenAI leadership distancing themselves from Leading the Future should be a decisive factor for Democrats backed by the group.

The combined political spending by Leading the Future and Public First, an AI regulation advocacy super PAC largely funded by AI competitor Anthropic, reached over $70 million this cycle, according to Federal Election Commission data. Other pro-regulation groups have also entered the political arena, with Guardrails Alliance raising $5 million and spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to support Assemblymember Bores.

Despite Altman's acknowledgment to POLITICO and Greg Brockman's decision to withdraw from funding Leading the Future, critics argue that this does not necessarily indicate a significant change in the industry's campaign strategy. Democrats who received financial support from Leading the Future, such as Reps. Ritchie Torres, Joe Morelle, and Jared Moskowitz, have not explicitly disavowed the group's contributions.

AI safety advocates argue that figures like Altman must take a more proactive role in curbing the influx of political donations, rather than merely withdrawing their own support.