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How Sam Altman outfoxed Elon Musk to become Trump’s AI buddy

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By illuminem briefings

· 3 min read


illuminem summarises for you the essential news of the day. Read the full piece on The Wall Street Journal or enjoy below:

🗞️ Driving the news: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman met with President Donald Trump and his top donors at Trump’s New Jersey golf club, signalling a new alignment of interests and a more assertive stance in advancing OpenAI’s goals in Washington
The meeting comes just two weeks after Elon Musk publicly severed ties with Trump, removing a key rival to Altman in the political arena
Trump introduced Altman warmly to donors, calling him “a very brilliant man” and noting his cautious optimism about artificial intelligence

🔭 The context: Altman’s growing influence in U.S. political and tech circles follows months of turmoil over AI regulation, ethics, and competitive dynamics
Previously aligned with Democratic Party causes, Altman has recently distanced himself from the party, reportedly over its hawkish regulatory proposals for AI
His emergence as a key interlocutor with Trump’s circle marks a strategic shift as OpenAI (see sustainability performance) navigates a contentious policy environment and seeks to secure its leadership in generative AI amid rising competition from Musk’s xAI and others

🌍 Why it matters for the planet: AI’s rapid deployment has major sustainability implications, from its massive energy demands to its potential to accelerate climate modeling and optimize resource use
Leadership and governance decisions by influential players like OpenAI shape whether the technology aligns with broader social and environmental goals
Altman’s political recalibration could affect how AI regulation evolves in ways that either reinforce or undermine sustainability and equity objectives

⏭️ What's next: Altman is expected to deepen engagement with policymakers across the aisle to influence U.S. AI regulation, while OpenAI continues to push for rules that balance innovation and risk
How this new relationship with the Trump administration develops could set the tone for federal oversight and funding priorities in AI and related infrastructure
The AI industry’s energy footprint and societal risks remains central to public debates

💬 One quote: “I hope he’s right about AI,” President Trump told donors, after introducing Altman as “a very brilliant man”

📈 One stat: The data centers powering generative AI are projected to contribute over 4% of U.S. electricity demand by 2030, underscoring the need for sustainable AI deployment strategies

See on illuminem's Data Hub™ the sustainability performance of OpenAI and its peers Anthropic, and Deepseek, and 

Click for more news covering the latest on ethical governance

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illuminem's editorial team, providing you with concise summaries of the most important sustainability news of the day. Follow us on Linkedin, Twitter​ & Instagram

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