Sam Altman Says He Doesn’t Plan to Put Money Into 2026 Elections

OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman says he has no plans to make any financial contributions toward this year’s US elections, even as other Silicon Valley billionaires have already pledged to spend heavily to influence midterm races that will decide control of Congress.

On a visit to Washington Wednesday, Altman said that while he doesn’t intend to make political donations himself, he sympathizes with those who’ve promised to put money toward campaigns, owing to growing opposition to their industry.

Sam Altman speaks to members of the media after a meeting with Senator Bernie Sanders on Capitol Hill in Washington on June 3.

Photographer: Eric Lee/Bloomberg

“You can’t hold us to a different standard than all of our competitors. If they’re trying to use money to ...