OpenAI CEO exhorts ‘critical’ government AI adoption in DC

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told federal officials the government needs to “keep pace” with the speed of artificial intelligence and should adopt the technology during a Thursday event at the company’s Washington, D.C., office.

“We really want to enable the government with this technology. We think it's critical that the government keeps pace [with] the change and stays more capable as time goes on. We really want to be sure the government understands this technology,” Altman said at the event.

“I think the government is going to be called on for some extraordinary responses and decisions in the coming few years, and having familiarity and adoption of this technology, I think, will help make much better decisions,” he added.

Officials from over two dozen cabinet agencies and federal entities using ChatGPT tools attended the event, according to an OpenAI spokesperson.

The remarks come weeks after OpenAI and the General Services Administration announced a new, consumption-based OneGov discount for federal agencies to deploy ChatGPT models.

The 50% discount on token-based usage includes free platform access and becomes available on Oct. 1. It replaces an existing OneGov deal of $1 per year per agency that expires on Sept. 30.