OpenAI’s Economic Proposals: Insights from Washington, D.C.
Happy ceasefire day and welcome to Regulator, a newsletter for those interested in Big Tech’s tumultuous path through the political landscape. If you haven’t subscribed yet, consider doing so, but I urge you to sign up before any unexpected geopolitical tensions arise.
I’m back after a brief hiatus due to a nasty cold and the onset of pollen season. (With 21% of the District covered in public green spaces, DC boasts one of the best city park systems in the U.S., but unfortunately, I’m allergic to nearly every tree and blade of grass.) If you have any tips on what I might have missed or insights about the upcoming weeks, feel free to send them my way.
Do you trust what OpenAI claims?
On Monday, OpenAI released a 13-page policy paper discussing the potential effects of artificial intelligence on the American workforce. They proposed a solution: implementing higher capital gains taxes on companies that replace workers with AI, using the revenue to bolster the public safety net. Their suggestions included a public wealth fund, a four-day workweek funded by “efficiency dividends,” and government programs to help workers transition to “human-centered” jobs, all supported by the wealth generated from AI advancements.
However, this paper coincided with a detailed article from a prominent outlet that chronicled Sam Altman’s history of misleading those around him, including his Silicon Valley investors, employees, and lawmakers attempting to regulate AI. This piece reinforced a long-standing narrative about Altman and OpenAI: while they may espouse lofty ideals, they often abandon them for financial and political gain.
Several individuals I spoke with noted that the paper was a positive contribution to the conversation around AI governance, introducing fresh ideas into the political discourse. Yet, critics argued that unless OpenAI’s policy and political influence translated into real action, it would merely be a piece of paper.
“My guess is that there are people on the team who genuinely care about these issues, who’ve put a lot of thought into this document and are proud of it, even if it doesn’t cover all the questions I wish it would,” said Malo Bourgon, CEO of the Machine Intelligence Research Institute (MIRI). “But there’s still the concern: Will those individuals find themselves in the same position as many past OpenAI employees, who believed the company upheld certain values only to discover otherwise, leading to disillusionment and departure?”
With OpenAI now proposing policies, it’s essential to reflect on its history with the government, which the recent article explored in detail. Altman was among the first major CEOs to advocate for federal oversight of AI, even suggesting a federal agency to oversee advanced models in 2023. Yet, he privately worked to undermine laws that included his own safety proposals. A California legislative aide accused OpenAI of engaging in “increasingly cunning, deceptive behavior” to derail a 2023 AI safety bill it had publicly supported. In 2025, the company even subpoenaed supporters of a California state-level AI bill in an attempt to intimidate them into silence. Although Altman had previously collaborated with the Biden administration to establish AI safety standards, he successfully persuaded Trump to abandon those initiatives once he took office.
Nathan Calvin, general counsel at an AI policy nonprofit focused on state legislative initiatives, received one of those subpoenas. “What I’ve seen from their policy and government affairs engagement has just been abysmal,” he shared. While he believed the team behind the OpenAI proposal, primarily from the technical safety research side, had good intentions, he remained cautious. “Will those folks stay engaged as we transition from general policy principles to the more complex realities of lobbying and government influence? Part of me is hopeful, but I’m also quite skeptical about whether that will happen.”
A modest, absolutely not craven request:
Next week, I plan to feature an issue of Regulator highlighting the most exciting events during Nerd Prom, also known as the White House Correspondents’ Dinner party circuit. If you’re a tech founder, part of a tech company, or involved in anything tech-related and are hosting an event during WHCD week, I’d love to hear about it! So far, it seems the tech scene is set to shake up the usual social dynamics of the week — I’ve already heard about the Grindr party in Georgetown and the Substack gathering, which the well-known looksmaxxer Clavicular will be attending — and I’m eager to compile the wildest “SPOTTED” column Washington has ever seen.
(Again, this is contingent upon whether we’re at war with Iran by the end of April; if that’s the case, I imagine no one will be in the mood for festivities.)
And now, Recess.
Speaking of DC reporters, this rings true for all of us:
See you next week.
