OpenAI CEO Sam Altman faces congressional probe over conflicts of interest

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is under scrutiny from Republican lawmakers regarding his personal investment activities as the company prepares for an initial public offering (IPO), the Wall Street Journal reported. The House Oversight Committee has launched an investigation into potential conflicts of interest, and several Republican state attorneys general have also urged the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) to conduct a related review. The moves follow an April report that Altman had pushed for OpenAI to provide support to companies in which he had personally invested. The situation is also linked to a lawsuit filed by Elon Musk, who alleges that Altman and OpenAI induced him to contribute tens of millions of dollars by founding the organization as a non-profit before transitioning it into a for-profit enterprise. According to a document published on the House Oversight Committee's official website on May 11, the committee sent a letter to Altman on May 9 demanding an explanation regarding potential conflicts of interest among OpenAI's management and the submission of documents related to corporate governance.