How Sam Altman Outfoxed Elon Musk to Become Trump’s AI Buddy

With his rival out of the way, OpenAI’s CEO has a clear path to press for company’s goals; leaving the Democratic Party

CEO of OpenAI Sam Altman.
CEO of OpenAI Sam Altman. Brendan Mcdermid/Reuters/Ritzau Scanpix

Just two weeks after Elon Musk’s spectacular breakup with President Trump, the tech billionaire’s nemesis strode into the dining room of the president’s New Jersey golf club wearing a suit and a wide smile.

Sam Altman , the 40-year-old chief executive of OpenAI, had just finished a long one-on-one meeting with Trump, and the two men were about to dine with the president’s top donors. Trump introduced Altman to the club’s applauding members as »a very brilliant man,« adding: »I hope he’s right about AI.«