Why OpenAI Hired Chuck Schumer’s Daughter Away From Amazon

The Revolving Door Project, a Prospect partner, scrutinizes the executive branch and presidential power. Follow them at therevolvingdoorproject.org.

Just before the long Labor Day weekend, OpenAI made waves by bringing in major reinforcements to its political staff. First reported by Axios, the artificial intelligence juggernaut added three heavy-hitter lobbyists who can help it appeal to both sides of the aisle, two of whom were hired away from fellow tech giants Amazon and Meta. Headlining the incoming staff is Jessica Schumer, who is leaving her post directing Amazon’s public policy in New York to “oversee policy and partnerships across the Northeast” at OpenAI.

Schumer is a veteran of Democratic politics who has worked in the Obama White House and on Hillary Clinton’s 2016 presidential campaign. But she’s not just any government relations professional with public-sector experience; if the name didn’t tip you off, Schumer is also the daughter of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY). She brings to OpenAI knowledge of how Democrats might approach the AI industry’s growing power, both from her firsthand revolver experience and from more tacit understandings culled from the types of personal relationships the child of a Senate leader is able to develop.