Do AI Companies Actually Care About America?

In early May, Sam Altman traveled to Washington to tell a story about America. Appearing before a Senate committee, Altman described how he came of age as the internet took off, how he stayed up late in his family's attic and learned to code on products that were invented in the United States--a personal computer, its silicon chips and accompanying software. That early experience with the "spirit of American innovation," Altman told the senators, put him on a path to found OpenAI, launch ChatGPT, and set off the AI boom. "I think America is just an incredible and special thing," he said, "and it will not only be the place where the AI revolution happens but all the revolutions after." Altman's written testimony, which was submitted to the Senate, added an important asterisk that he did not speak aloud that day.