Sam Altman may soon find himself facing a tough challenge as Donald Trump plans to appoint David Sacks as his new “AI Czar,” working closely with Elon Musk as head of the Department of Government Efficiency. The move could lead to a two-headed Grinch for OpenAI, which has been critical of both Musk and Sacks in the past.
Musk and Sacks have publicly criticized OpenAI, and their appointment by Trump could steer government AI contracts to their own companies and push regulations that harm competitors like OpenAI. As head of the Department of Government Efficiency, Sacks will lead the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), while Musk could use his new role to eliminate governmental hurdles facing xAI or artificial intelligence more broadly.
Altman has been trying to make nice with Musk after they publicly clashed over the issue. However, Musk responded to Altman’s congratulatory tweet about Sacks’ appointment with a laughing emoji, which further confirmed Altman’s predicament. OpenAI is at a delicate moment as it works on restructuring into a for-profit benefit corporation and seeks more investment.
The AGI clause with Microsoft could be removed, allowing Altman to gain significant equity in the company. However, the technical challenges of achieving artificial general intelligence are immense, and government regulation will become increasingly important. Sacks’ nuanced comments on AGI have raised concerns, while Musk has voiced concerns about AGI falling into the wrong hands.
The appointment of Sacks as AI Czar could bolster the argument that Trump might slow OpenAI’s path to AGI. However, Altman may benefit from Sacks’ views on accelerating AI development and loosening restrictions. With the Biden AI Executive Order potentially facing the axe, Sacks’ comments suggest that regulation is no longer a priority for him. As OpenAI pushes ahead with its mission, the role of government regulation will become increasingly important, making this a critical moment for the company.
Source: https://fortune.com/2024/12/07/david-sacks-ai-czar-elon-musk-doge-competition-threat-openai