AI research lab, OpenAI, is extending its lobbying efforts in Washington, significantly enhancing its intensity with the procurement of leading law firm, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld, to assist with bills and regulations related to artificial intelligence. Chiefly, Akin Gump’s Ed Pagano, a previous Senate liaison in the Obama administration, and Reggie Babin, formerly chief counsel for Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, (D-NY), have been handling OpenAI’s lobbying activities since November 21st, as stated in a Dec. 22 filing.
To further augment its influence, OpenAI has enlisted the services of DLA Piper, which commenced federal lobbying work for the AI developer in October. These deliberate moves suggest that the Microsoft-backed startup is engaging more proactively with lawmakers who are trying to navigate the complex territory of regulating artificial intelligence technology.
Legislation thus far has pertained to artificial intelligence, requiring Internet platforms, for instance, to notify users when AI technology is in use. OpenAI only began lobbying for these proposals before Congress in the final quarter of this year, as revealed in at the federal lobbying disclosures. Remarkably, Microsoft Corp’s former senior director of congressional affairs, Chan Park, joined OpenAI in October and is currently registered as its sole in-house lobbyist.
Akin Gump, one of the largest lobbying entities in Washington, began its term with OpenAI coinciding with some turbulent times for the AI startup, including the temporary departure of its CEO, Sam Altman, due to a sudden dismissal, and a chain of subsequent events that led to him reassuming his position at the top of the organisation. The turbulence did not deter Akin Gump. Its team, which includes partner Hans Rickhoff and senior counsel Casey Higgins, continues to represent OpenAI.
Certainly, these high-pressure circumstances have not stopped Altman from advocating for regulations to counter election disinformation, ensure AI-created content’s transparency, and expressing the potential of AI to Congress. Reflecting on the challenge ahead, Schumer reiterated in July that regulating AI would be “one of the hardest tasks that Congress has ever faced.”
Additional details and regular updates on this developing situation can be tracked on the original report by Bloomberg Law.