“I could be wrong, but I believe Elon will do the right thing,” CEO OpenAI Sam Altman said
In an era where the boundaries between business and politics are increasingly blurred, CEO OpenAI Sam Altman has defended Tesla’s Elon Musk amid concerns over his new role in the Trump administration.
Altman reassured critics, asserting that Musk will remain true to his values and not misuse his political ties to benefit his businesses.
Speaking at the New York Times DealBook conference on Wednesday, Altman dismissed worries that Musk might use his position in the new Department of Government Efficiency to favor his own companies, calling such actions “profoundly un-American.”
“I could be wrong, but I believe Elon will do the right thing,” CEO OpenAI Sam Altman said. “Using political power to harm competitors goes against everything Elon stands for.”
Altman acknowledged Musk’s controversial personality but emphasized that leveraging political influence for personal gain would be out of character for the tech mogul. “It’s just not something I’m concerned about,” he added.
Musk, who co-founded OpenAI before parting ways with the organization, is currently embroiled in a lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft, accusing them of straying from their original nonprofit mission. Meanwhile, Musk’s latest venture, xAI, is reportedly valued at $50 billion, positioning it among the world’s top startups.
Despite the legal drama, CEO OpenAI Sam Altman expressed sadness over the situation, admitting that he once considered Musk a “mega hero.”
Musk’s ties to Trump are well-known, with Musk backing Trump’s campaign with over $100 million and appearing at rallies. His influence has carried into Trump’s transition, where he was reportedly involved in key conversations about the president-elect’s plans.
As Musk’s businesses remain heavily intertwined with both US and foreign governments, the spotlight stays on him, with concerns over potential conflicts of interest continuing to rise.