OpenAI’s DC push

OpenAI lobbies, AI startups print money, Google’s robots get smarter.

March 13, 2025

Your Thursday AI briefing, straight to the point.

1: OpenAI’s play for AI dominance in DC.

OpenAI wants America to go all-in on AI – and they’re making sure Washington gets the message. Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s chief global affairs officer, told Axios the White House is fast-tracking AI policy, aiming for a full strategy by summer. Two years ago, the debate was whether regulation was moving too slow. Now? It’s about outpacing China.

The big pivot:

The Trump administration is rebooting AI strategy, considering moves like overriding state-level AI laws, revising export restrictions, and deciding whether AI can learn from copyrighted content.

Instead of focusing on risks, OpenAI is pushing the opportunity narrative. Lehane’s take: “Maybe the biggest risk here is missing out.”

Zoom out:

OpenAI is pitching AI as the next electricity – not just another tech cycle. Their ideal scenario? A new AI Safety Institute where companies can test models without getting caught up in conflicting state rules.

That means navigating exports too: keep cutting-edge AI IP in the U.S., but don’t lock out global markets.

Why it matters:

Sam Altman once begged Congress to regulate AI. Now, OpenAI is acting like they’ve got the responsible deployment part handled.

The stakes?

  • If the U.S. doesn’t lead, China will.

  • If every state makes its own AI laws, the market gets messy.

  • If OpenAI’s vision wins, they get to help write the rulebook.

For founders, this signals a shifting policy landscape – one that could dictate how AI startups operate, scale, and compete globally.

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2: The AI gold rush: No revenue, no problem.

Who needs revenue when VCs are throwing billions at AI moonshots?

Ex-OpenAI CTO Mira Murati’s new startup, Thinking Machines Lab, is reportedly raising $1B at a $9B valuation. Another fresh AI player, Safe Superintelligence, co-founded by ex-OpenAI scientist Ilya Sutskever, is gunning for a $30B valuation –despite no product, no revenue, and no business model (yet).

We’ve seen this play before.

Back in 2021, flying taxis and speculative tech bets hit sky-high valuations – until reality crashed in. Some are still struggling to make a dollar.

For now, the AI hype train is full-speed ahead. Investors are betting these vision-first, product-later companies will eventually justify the price tags. History suggests not all of them will.

3: Google’s robots just got way smarter – here’s why it matters.

Google is plugging its Gemini AI model into real-world robots, letting mechanical arms learn everything from folding origami to dunking mini basketballs.

Why is this big?

Until now, robots needed custom code for every new task. But with AI-powered learning, machines can adapt on the fly – without needing constant reprogramming.

Of course, “AI” plus “robots” makes imaginations run wild. Google says it’s layering in serious safety measures—like “constitutional AI” guardrails – to make sure these machines don’t go rogue (read: no cat-throwing robots).

If it works, the implications are huge:

  • Robots that can automate more tasks without human micromanagement.

  • AI-powered machines that learn like humans, instead of running on pre-set code.

The flipside? We’re officially in an era where AI has arms and legs. Let’s just hope the safety layers hold.

4: Apple’s AI struggle: Can Siri keep up?

Back in 2011, Apple’s Siri felt like the future. Today, it’s lagging behind rivals like Amazon, Google, and OpenAI – especially after Apple just delayed its next-gen AI update, scrapping a clear launch timeline.

The bigger problem?

Apple keeps marketing Siri as an AI powerhouse, but in reality, it’s still clunky compared to the competition. In markets like China, local AI-powered phones are already leapfrogging Apple’s AI efforts.

What was once Apple’s head start is now an uphill battle. If they don’t reinvent Siri soon, they risk losing more than just AI relevance – they could lose the premium perception that fuels their entire ecosystem.