The Powers That Be: Daily Altman’s Beltway Bargain
Aug 13, 2025
Ian Krietzberg, a savvy tech writer known for his insights on the AI revolution, shares his thoughts with Julia Ioffe on Sam Altman's bold strategy to provide ChatGPT Enterprise to U.S. government agencies at a fraction of the cost. They dive into the potential benefits of this initiative, including improved efficiency in public services and the push for AI adoption. However, they also address pressing concerns such as security risks, data breaches, and the implications of using energy-intensive systems in government operations.
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Free Access To Build Government Muscle Memory
- OpenAI is offering ChatGPT Enterprise to government agencies for about $1 the first year to build muscle memory and adoption.
- They accept short-term losses to become operationally central to government workflows.
Losses Bought For Long-Term Dominance
- OpenAI tolerates massive losses because user adoption and data access are the long-term payoff.
- They aim to reshape internet behavior the way Google shaped search by making AI a reflexive tool.
Adoption vs. Safety Trade-Off In Policy
- Rapid government adoption fits political priorities but risks outpacing safeguards and oversight.
- The Trump administration's push for adoption emphasizes speed over the safety guardrails Biden sought.