OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman has rejected claims that the company is seeking government backing to protect it from financial risk.
Writing on X, Altman said OpenAI “does not want or need government guarantees” and that taxpayers should not “bail out companies that make bad decisions.”
His comments followed remarks from chief financial officer Sarah Friar, who had suggested OpenAI was exploring an “ecosystem” of funding sources, including banks, private equity, and possibly a government “backstop.”
Friar later clarified that her phrasing “muddled” the point and that she meant the public and private sectors should both help build US industrial capacity.
Altman confirmed that OpenAI has discussed potential loan guarantees only in relation to US semiconductor manufacturing but has not applied for any.
The company faces mounting questions over how it will finance its $1.4 trillion spending commitments, despite projecting $20 billion in annualised revenue by year-end.