San Francisco Mayor-elect Daniel Lurie has enlisted OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to join his transition team, signalling a strong embrace of the tech industry as the city seeks to address its challenges. Altman, alongside nine other prominent leaders, will guide Lurie’s administration on innovation and help forge partnerships to revitalise the city.
“I’m excited to help the city I love, and where OpenAI was started, as it begins its next chapter with Mayor-elect Lurie stepping into his new role,” Altman said in a statement.
Altman’s involvement comes as San Francisco grapples with a public safety crisis and economic challenges, issues that have led many tech leaders to relocate to emerging hubs like Miami and Austin. Lurie, an heir to the Levi Strauss fortune who personally funded much of his campaign, aims to restore the city’s appeal by attracting young professionals and convincing tech entrepreneurs to stay.
Altman’s new role aligns with a growing trend of tech leaders stepping into political advisory positions. Nationally, President-elect Donald Trump recently tapped Elon Musk to head a newly formed government efficiency task force aimed at cutting bureaucracy. Musk, who has closed and reopened offices in San Francisco over safety concerns, is expected to leverage his influence and financial prowess to help streamline federal operations.
Both Musk and Altman have been vocal about their visions for innovation and efficiency, and their political engagements reflect their shared belief in shaping policy to align with technological advancements.
Altman’s connection to San Francisco runs deep. As the former head of Y Combinator, Altman fostered a culture of innovation that helped shape the city’s startup ecosystem. Today, he leads OpenAI, one of the world’s most prominent artificial intelligence companies, with multiple offices in the Bay Area.
Mayor-elect Lurie has called Altman “one of the most important figures on the planet” and sees him as a vital ally in reinvigorating the city. Altman’s addition to the transition team is also viewed as a strategic move to win over skeptical tech leaders, including Y Combinator’s current CEO, Garry Tan. Despite endorsing Lurie, Tan has been critical of his campaign tactics, particularly the use of personal wealth to outspend competitors.
Altman joins a transition team that reflects a mix of tech expertise and community leadership. Other members include former Twitter CFO Ned Segal, former San Francisco fire chief Joanne Hayes-White, and Stockton’s former mayor Michael Tubbs. The team also includes figures from the legal and arts sectors, showcasing Lurie’s intent to balance innovation with inclusivity.
Lurie will assume office in January 2025, inheriting a city that faces pressing issues such as public safety, economic recovery, and a shrinking population of young professionals. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff has been openly critical of the city’s shortcomings, while Musk’s previous closure of X’s downtown office highlighted tech leaders’ frustrations.
With Altman’s experience in fostering innovation and his deep ties to the tech community, his involvement could help bridge the gap between the city’s leadership and its entrepreneurial ecosystem. However, Altman’s growing political presence could also signal broader ambitions as OpenAI continues to influence public policy on AI and emerging technologies.