The article discusses how Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, strategically outmaneuvered Elon Musk to become a key player in President Trump's administration regarding AI policies. Despite being a Democratic donor and critic of Trump, Altman leveraged his relationships with key figures like Doug Burgum, Larry Ellison, and Masayoshi Son to secure a $100 billion AI infrastructure project called Stargate. This project, announced by Trump, positions OpenAI at the center of the administration's AI agenda, aiming to stay ahead of China in AI development. The article also highlights the complex political maneuvers and funding challenges Altman faced, including a temporary firing from the OpenAI board and the need to secure investments from multiple sources.
A U.S. congressional commission has proposed a 'Manhattan Project-like' initiative to fund artificial intelligence (AI) development to stay ahead of China's technological advancements.
- Congress should yield broad multiyear contracting authority to the executive branch for AI, cloud, and data center companies.
- Establish and fund a dedicated program to achieve Artificial General Intelligence (AGI).
- Direct the Secretary of Defense to prioritize AI projects with the highest national priority designation
