OpenAI CEO also participates in politics! Altman joins San Francisco mayor's transition team.

The San Francisco mayoral campaign team announced on Monday that newly elected mayor Daniel Lurie has appointed OpenAI CEO Sam Altman as one of the seven co-chairs of his transition team. Following this month's election in San Francisco, Altman joins a growing number of former tech leaders serving in the San Francisco government. The concentration of the American tech industry in Silicon Valley, just south of San Francisco, has led to an increasing presence of the tech industry in the city, causing tension in a place that was once synonymous with hippies and counterculture. Meanwhile, San Francisco's economy is slowly recovering from the pandemic, and issues related to drugs and homelessness are becoming more severe, prompting a shift towards centrist politics within the Democratic party, driven by disgruntled citizens and wealthy tech executive donors. Some Silicon Valley investors also support the Republican incumbent president, Trump. In the San Francisco city elections, WhatsApp co-founder and former CEO Jan Koum supported Lurie. Former software entrepreneurs Bilal Mahmood and Danny Sauter were elected as members of the city's Public Utilities Commission. Following his inauguration on January 8th, Lurie, who lacks experience in city hall operations, will face the challenge of addressing San Francisco's public safety crisis, a pressing issue that has prompted many tech leaders to relocate from the Bay Area. Other tech executives have also enthusiastically seized the opportunity to focus their industry skills on issues in San Francisco. Altman stated in a release, "I am excited to help the city I love and the birthplace of OpenAI." In an interview, Mahmood noted that business executives are experts in data-driven governance, which can help the city "get back to basics." He said, "Democrats are too focused on ideological battles rather than quality of life issues." Mahmood added that many of San Francisco's issues stem from its inefficient tech infrastructure, leading to delays in hiring and housing approvals, where tech executives can make a significant impact.