Greg Brockman Halts Second $25 Million AI Super PAC Donation as OpenAI Faces Safety Backlash
Updated
Updated · The New York Times · Sep 30
Greg Brockman Halts Second $25 Million AI Super PAC Donation as OpenAI Faces Safety Backlash
1 articles · Updated · The New York Times · Sep 30
Summary
$25 million in planned funding from Greg Brockman and his wife, Anna, will no longer go to Leading the Future, leaving their contribution at the first $25 million already given.
A June Slack message showed Brockman told OpenAI staff he had no plans for further donations, calling the super PAC a distraction that kept reflecting back on the company.
Leading the Future had said the Brockmans intended to give $50 million across 2025 and 2026, but the second installment was never publicly withdrawn until now.
The reversal comes as OpenAI and the wider AI industry face sharper scrutiny over safety, lobbying and the PAC's aggressive tactics, including a high-profile campaign against a New York congressional candidate.
OpenAI had already tried to create distance in June, publishing an unusual blog post 10 days before Brockman's message to separate itself from the super PAC.