Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, is one of many former tech executives who have been appointed to positions in San Francisco’s government since this month’s election. Altman, the leader of ChatGPT’s AI startup, was selected as one of seven co-chairs of San Francisco Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie’s transition team, the campaign said Monday.
In a city that was formerly associated with hippies and the counterculture, tensions have arisen as a result of the tech industry’s expanding presence in Silicon Valley, which is located south of San Francisco.
At the same time, a turn toward centrist Democratic politics has been pushed by San Francisco’s slow post-pandemic economic recovery and evident drug and homelessness issues. This shift has been driven by both wealthy tech executive funders and angry residents.
Donald Trump, the Republican nominee for president, has the support of several Silicon Valley capitalists. WhatsApp cofounder and former CEO Jan Koum backed Lurie in the election in San Francisco. Danny Sauter and Bilal Mahmood, two former software entrepreneurs, were voted to the city’s supervisory board.
The city’s first Black female mayor, London Breed, has been in office since 2018. Lurie, a philanthropist and heir to the Levi Strauss fortune, will take over as mayor.
Lurie, who has no prior experience at City Hall, will take on the task of addressing San Francisco’s public safety problems when he takes office on January 8. This urgent problem has caused many tech executives to leave the Bay Area. The opportunity to apply their industry’s expertise to San Francisco’s issues was welcomed by other tech CEOs.
“I’m excited to help the city I love, and where OpenAI was started,” Altman said in a statement.
Mahmood stated in a media interview that the city may “return to the basics” with the assistance of former business executives who are skilled in metrics-driven governance and prioritizing.
“Democrats have been too focused on ideological battles rather than quality-of-life issues,” he said.
Mahmood went on to say that a lot of San Francisco’s issues are caused by the city’s ineffective technical infrastructure, which causes delays in housing approvals and hiring—areas in which tech leaders may play a significant role.
Also read: Viksit Workforce for a Viksit Bharat
Do Follow: CIO News LinkedIn Account | CIO News Facebook | CIO News Youtube | CIO News Twitter
About us:
CIO News is the premier platform dedicated to delivering the latest news, updates, and insights from the CIO industry. As a trusted source in the technology and IT sector, we provide a comprehensive resource for executives and professionals seeking to stay informed and ahead of the curve. With a focus on cutting-edge developments and trends, CIO News serves as your go-to destination for staying abreast of the rapidly evolving landscape of technology and IT. Founded in June 2020, CIO News has rapidly evolved with ambitious growth plans to expand globally, targeting markets in the Middle East & Africa, ASEAN, USA, and the UK.
