OpenAI’s CEO returns to political fundraising

Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, has spent the past few months cozying up to the Trump administration, attending his inauguration and launching a data-center project that President Donald Trump mentioned in Tuesday’s address to Congress.

Some conservative critics of Altman, though, have sought in recent weeks to highlight his past ties to Democrats. Altman had been a longtime Democratic donor, but he had stepped away from large political giving as his profile grew, and especially so since his brief ouster as OpenAI’s chief executive in late 2023.

Now, a fundraising invitation obtained by The New York Times shows Altman is getting back into the game, at least for one afternoon. He is set to host a fundraiser in San Francisco this month for Sen. Mark Warner, a Democrat up for reelection in 2026 in Virginia.

The event is Altman’s first known hosted political fundraiser since the 2022 cycle, when Altman was involved in boosting Dean Phillips as he prepared a challenge to former President Joe Biden for the Democratic nomination.

The event appears to have a focus on artificial intelligence: Warner is one of the most influential senators on tech and AI policy, and he has said he has a “lot of respect for Sam.”

Tickets for the March 20 lunch range from $1,000 to $22,000. The other three hosts are Chris Lehane, Altman’s top political adviser; and two Democratic lobbyists, Matt Tanielian and Josh Ackil.