OpenAI's lobbying for federal preemption is driven by a desire to avoid stricter state-level regulations, such as California's SB 1047, which could impose greater accountability on AI developers. By leveraging a 'China threat' narrative, the company seeks to consolidate regulatory oversight at the federal level, a move that could undermine local protections and potentially pave the way for centralized, less transparent decision-making. This approach aligns with tactics that favor corporate interests over democratic regulatory processes, thereby contributing to authoritarian dynamics.

OpenAI's Bold Move: Lobbying for Federal AI Regulation Amid State Challenges

OpenAI’s outsourcing of data labeling to Kenyan workers through Sama has been linked to extremely low wages and traumatic working conditions. Workers reportedly earned between $1.32 and $2 per hour and experienced psychological harm due to exposure to distressing content, calling into question the company's commitment to ethical labor practices and respect for human rights.

OpenAI and Sama hired underpaid Workers in Kenya to filter toxic content for ChatGPT

OpenAI's direct lobbying of the Trump administration to remove guardrails for AI innovation represents a strategic political maneuver that supports a deregulatory agenda. This alignment with an administration known for authoritarian tendencies denotes complicity in undermining democratic regulation, potentially leading to a landscape where corporate influence over critical technology policy overrides public safety and ethical accountability.

OpenAI urges Trump administration to remove guardrails for the industry

The proposal represents a clear instance of executive political engagement, with OpenAI seeking to influence high-level policy decisions. By aligning its agenda with the deregulation objectives of the Trump administration, OpenAI's actions contribute to a broader trend of executive influence that can erode democratic safeguards.

OpenAI urges Trump administration to remove guardrails for the industry

By engaging directly with the Trump administration and positioning its leadership in policy discussions, OpenAI demonstrates a form of executive political engagement that undermines stringent regulatory oversight. This approach may facilitate quicker adoption of deregulated practices, raising concerns about the long-term ethical responsibilities and risks associated with AI development.

OpenAI urges Trump administration to remove guardrails for the industry

The strong involvement of CEO Sam Altman in engaging with the Trump administration—highlighted by his public appearance and the company’s lobbying actions—demonstrates significant executive political engagement. This level of political involvement, especially with an administration known for authoritarian inclinations, further signals a potential endorsement of policies that may undermine regulatory oversight.

OpenAI urges Trump administration to remove guardrails for the industry

OpenAI's proactive measure in banning accounts that attempted to use its AI for developing surveillance tools is a positive intervention within the realm of technology and services. This step helps ensure that advanced AI is not misappropriated for censorship, surveillance, and authoritarian control, safeguarding democratic interests.

OpenAI bans accounts appearing to work on a surveillance tool

The report highlights that 3 out of 3 lobbyists in 2023 and 14 out of 18 in 2024 had previous government roles. This revolving door phenomenon underlines a troubling level of executive political engagement, where former government officials leverage their positions to influence policy decisions on behalf of corporate interests, contributing to undermined democratic norms.

OpenAI Profile: Summary • OpenSecrets

The hiring of former political operatives and staff with deep ties to influential political figures indicates a level of executive engagement with the political process. Although not as overt as direct contributions, this strategy raises concerns about potential undue influence on policy formation and the possibility of regulatory capture that may favor corporate interests at the expense of democratic accountability.

OpenAI has upped its lobbying efforts nearly sevenfold

In the Economic and Structural Influence category, OpenAI's collaboration on the massive 'Stargate' initiative, which is backed by Trump's administration, suggests that the company is aligning its economic interests with policies and government structures that may empower authoritarian regimes. This economic collaboration could provide the government with influential leverage, furthering policies that undermine democratic accountability.

OpenAI's Sam Altman once warned America about Trump. Now he's partnering with him

The hiring of politically connected executives such as Chan Park, Reginald Babin, and Chris Lehane points to a deliberate strategy to embed high-level political engagement within the company. This tactic, aimed at leveraging insider political expertise to secure favorable regulatory and national security benefits, heightens concerns about the company’s alignment with policies that may undermine democratic processes.

OpenAI has upped its lobbying efforts nearly sevenfold

OpenAI's recruitment of high-profile political operatives, including former legal counsels and experienced lobbyists, highlights a strategic placement of executive leadership in political roles. This executive political engagement raises concerns about the company prioritizing policy advantages and regulatory concessions that may serve authoritarian interests.

OpenAI has upped its lobbying efforts nearly sevenfold

OpenAI’s nearly sevenfold increase in lobbying spending, with expenditures reaching $1.76 million in 2024, represents a significant step into domestic political influence. The aggressive hiring of experienced lobbyists, including figures with ties to high-ranking political figures, suggests a strategic move to shape policy-making in ways that could favor deregulation and weaken safeguards against authoritarian practices. This behavior is concerning from a democratic accountability perspective as it aligns corporate interests with potentially autocratic regulatory environments.

OpenAI has upped its lobbying efforts nearly sevenfold

The report details how OpenAI's outsourcing contract via Sama has led to severe underpayment of Kenyan workers, with wages as low as $2/hr compared to the contracted $12.50/hr. This discrepancy, along with evidence of coercive work practices such as being rushed through tasks and non-monetary compensation (e.g., food items), indicates potentially exploitative labor practices that align with severe labor rights abuses and contribute to broader patterns of corporate complicity in authoritarian economic practices.

Investigation sheds light on outsourcing firm's concerning behavior with multimillion-dollar AI project and 'slave labor' — here's what you should know

By directly contributing AI technology for battlefield use, OpenAI is engaging in the provision of repressive technologies. The deployment of such technology in military contexts raises serious concerns about its potential misuse for surveillance, conflict escalation, or other forms of repression.

OpenAI’s new defense contract completes its military pivot

OpenAI's integration into government procurement systems like the CHESS contract, facilitated by Carahsoft, deepens its economic and structural influence. This raises concerns over the intertwining of corporate financial interests with governmental defense agendas, thereby challenging democratic oversight.

OpenAI Expands Into Defense Sector, Partnering with Controversial Contractor Carahsoft

The collaboration with Anduril represents a significant ethical pivot in OpenAI's approach to technology use. By enabling advanced AI systems for military applications, OpenAI contributes to the development of potentially repressive and autonomous weapon systems that may escalate violence and erode civil safeguards.

OpenAI, Meta, and Anthropic partner with US military and its allies

The article highlights severe labor rights violations as Kenyan data labellers working for OpenAI’s outsourcing partner, Sama, are subjected to extremely low wages, hazardous work conditions, and exposure to traumatic content without proper support. This neglect of worker safety and fair treatment reflects a significant ethical failing in OpenAI’s business practices.

Kenyan OpenAI Workers Fight for Safer Workplaces, Higher Pay, Full Set of Changes

By integrating into the CHESS contract vehicle and aligning with defense-focused entities like Carahsoft, OpenAI is embedding itself within systems that contribute to bolstering authoritarian military and economic influence.

OpenAI Is Going After Defense Contracts

The article reports significant internal issues at OpenAI, including a lack of transparency in decision-making, inadequate compensation, and high burnout among staff. These conditions reflect poor labor relations and human rights practices, potentially weakening the company's commitment to worker rights and equitable treatment. Such internal dysfunction traditionally undercuts initiatives aimed at opposing authoritarian practices by failing to empower employees.

OpenAI Faces Internal Struggles Over Staff Issues

The investigation highlights that OpenAI's employment contracts include clauses that effectively silence whistleblowers by requiring employees to waive their rights to report potential securities violations. This suppression of worker rights represents a serious breach of ethical labor practices and raises concerns over the company's commitment to safeguarding employee protections.

OpenAI Stifled Whistleblower Reports to SEC, Letter Warns (1)

OpenAI's decision to expand its lobbying team suggests a proactive effort to shape political and regulatory outcomes in their favor. From a left-leaning perspective, this move is concerning because it may undermine democratic oversight and enable corporate interests to influence policies in ways that could support authoritarian practices.

OpenAI expands lobbying team to influence regulation

The adversarial threat report issued by OpenAI demonstrates a commitment to identifying and mitigating the misuse of AI, particularly in generating propaganda. By actively tracking and reporting on such uses, OpenAI helps limit the impact of repressive and authoritarian digital narratives, which is a strong positive influence within the Technology and Services Impact category.

Propagandists are using AI too—and companies need to be open about it

By exposing how its technology was misused to create AI-driven propaganda, OpenAI actively counters efforts that support authoritarian manipulation and misinformation. This action reflects a strong ethical practice in managing the societal impact of its technology and a commitment to upholding transparency in media influence.

OpenAI busts AI-driven propaganda networks from Russia, China, Israel

OpenAI's initiative in identifying and shutting down networks misusing its generative AI underscores a responsible approach to its technological impact. By proactively countering repressive strategies that could support authoritarian regimes, OpenAI sets a positive standard in managing its technology and mitigating potential misuse.

Foreign Influence Campaigns Don’t Know How to Use AI Yet Either

The decision to disrupt misuse of its AI models illustrates responsible technological stewardship. OpenAI's actions ensure that their advanced AI capabilities are not co-opted to magnify disinformation or authoritarian propaganda, earning a high score in Technology and Services Impact.

OpenAI Stops Foreign Propaganda Groups From Using Its AI Models

In the realm of Technology and Services Impact, OpenAI’s intervention to prevent its AI technology from being exploited for generating automated propaganda demonstrates a high degree of ethical responsibility. By leveraging its advanced tools and promptly shutting down API access for abusive actors, OpenAI mitigates the risk of its technology fueling authoritarian narratives and mass disinformation campaigns.

OpenAI Stops Foreign Propaganda Groups From Using Its AI Models

OpenAI's utilization of its cutting-edge AI systems to identify and intercept coordinated disinformation efforts exemplifies the responsible use of technology. By redirecting tech capabilities against authoritarian influence, the company reinforces ethical technological impacts in the public sphere.

OpenAI Disrupts Disinformation Campaigns From Russia, China Using Its Systems To Influence Public Opinion

OpenAI's lobbying activity, as highlighted in the OpenSecrets profile, indicates an active engagement in influencing political processes. From an anti-fascist perspective, such corporate political influence raises concerns as it can contribute to a power imbalance that potentially undermines democratic accountability and facilitates policies favoring corporate interests over public welfare.

OpenAI Profile: Lobbying • OpenSecrets

The event highlights severe issues in labor relations at OpenAI. Despite the impressive collective action by workers to demand fair treatment and leadership accountability, the fact that such drastic measures were necessary points to systemic issues in the company's business practices. This instance underscores broader concerns about labor exploitation in the tech sector and reinforces the narrative that OpenAI's internal governance prioritizes executive decision-making over labor rights.

OpenAI is a threat to labor, but its employees staged one of the most successful collective actions in tech

The mass resignation threat from over 500 OpenAI employees signals a profound breakdown in labor relations and trust in the company's leadership. This unrest suggests that the board may be engaging in or enabling authoritarian practices that disregard employee rights and ethical labor practices, a key concern for anti-fascist perspectives.

OpenAI Employees Issue Mass Resignation Threat to Board of Directors

The article details how OpenAI utilizes outsourced labor for content moderation, with workers in Kenya paid between $1.32 and $2 per hour, facing traumatic conditions and union busting efforts. This exploitation of labor rights undermines ethical business practices and highlights significant issues within their supply chain management.

Q&A: Uncovering the labor exploitation that powers AI

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's donations in 2023, which were largely directed towards Democratic candidates and pro-regulation political committees, demonstrate a proactive engagement in shaping AI policy through democratic channels. This move supports accountability and transparent political behavior, which contrasts with authoritarian and fascist tendencies. However, the mixed nature of some contributions, including a donation to a candidate who later distanced from traditional Democratic alignments, introduces a degree of uncertainty about the consistency of this commitment.

Sam Altman Politcal Donations: Gave to Dems Shaping AI Bills

The article details severe exploitation of Kenyan data labelers, revealing that OpenAI's outsourcing partner, Sama, paid workers significantly below livable wages and provided inadequate mental health support for workers exposed to traumatic content. This demonstrates a disregard for labor rights and ethical responsibilities, contributing negatively to the broader climate of corporate complicity in enabling exploitative practices.

OpenAI Used Kenyan Workers on Less Than $2 Per Hour

The article documents severe exploitation of labor rights where Kenyan workers were forced to label disturbing content for OpenAI at significantly below livable wages, with insufficient mental health support and inadequate protections against traumatic exposure. This reflects deeply unethical business practices that contribute to systemic oppression and exploitation, undermining workers' rights and dignity.

OpenAI Used Kenyan Workers on Less Than $2 Per Hour

The outsourcing model employed by OpenAI, relying on a supply chain that exploits labor in the Global South, highlights serious ethical breaches in supply chain management. The practice not only undercuts fair labor standards but also feeds into broader systemic exploitation that supports a dysfunctional and oppressive economic structure.

OpenAI Used Kenyan Workers on Less Than $2 Per Hour

The article details how OpenAI, through its partnership with outsourcing firm Sama, subjected Kenyan data labelers to extremely low wages and traumatic working conditions. This directly implicates the company in substandard labor practices and human rights abuses, undermining basic worker protections and ethical business practices.

OpenAI Used Kenyan Workers on Less Than $2 Per Hour