Tech Titans Align with Trump on A.I. Ventures

When I drove around Silicon Valley in 2017, talking to tech gods for a magazine piece, I was trying to figure out if A.I. would be friend or foe, while Washington barely seemed to be on their radar.

As far as they were concerned, they were the nation's capital. In D.C., politicians merely passed laws. In Silicon Valley, techies were creating a new species, attempting to conjure a nonhuman sentient mind. Forget Henry Adams; this was akin to Mary Shelley. Some tech titans were buoyant about the future, while others were wary. Elon Musk warned we might be "summoning the demon."

Silicon Valley was operated by young, quirky engineers competing for better toys, whether better rockets, self-driving cars, or robots. They were developing a monopoly on Americans' attention, learning how to increase algorithms to create division, distrust, and envy, all while presenting an innocent facade of connecting us and improving our lives.

Within their own elite circles, the tech billionaires were volatile—sometimes friendly, sometimes feuding. Musk and Zuckerberg threatened cage matches, while Musk sold his houses and slept on friends' couches. They were the richest, most potent men in the world, with a visceral high school vibe and peculiar drama.

Eventually, the digerati turned their gaze eastward and focused on a new toy: the American president. Suddenly, Democratic Silicon Valley found itself in Trump country. The moment crystallized when Zuckerberg, irritated with Democrats' sermons about his company’s failure in 2016, took a yacht, donned a gold necklace, and proclaimed Donald Trump's response to an assassination attempt as "one of the most bad-ass things" he had experienced, while ending fact-checking at Meta.

The tech moguls found it appealing to control communication and emotions across the nation, reprogramming the government’s regulatory engine to align with their desires. With a few million dollars thrown at Trump's campaign and some flattery, they positioned themselves close to power.

Trump, a 78-year-old Luddite with limited technological prowess, suddenly found himself embraced by TikTok teens and crypto enthusiasts. Tech leaders jostled for Trump's attention, seeking loyalty and even eight-figure mansions in Washington.

Sam Altman, head of OpenAI, recently expressed admiration for Biden, saying, “watching @potus more carefully recently has really changed my perspective on him.” Trump, always desiring approval from elites, enjoyed the attention from the tech elite.

Trump made waves by announcing a joint venture among OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle called "Stargate," intending to generate $100 billion in computing infrastructure for A.I., aiming for a total investment of $500 billion by the end of his term.

Showcasing Altman at the White House, Trump positioned himself as a Silicon Valley champion against China's A.I. advancements, despite the ongoing legal feud between Altman and Musk. Musk accused Altman of abandoning their initial mission with OpenAI, while Altman dismissed Musk's claims, leading to escalating tensions.

This discord created a significant rift in the relationship between Trump and Musk, particularly as Trump granted Musk free rein in the West Wing. Trump aides expressed frustration, feeling Musk undermined a project Trump had praised.

Trump responded nonchalantly to Musk's criticisms, characterizing it as a mere personality clash while acknowledging their mutual dislikes of certain individuals.

The colliding egos of Silicon Valley and the Trump administration are evident, yet Trump remains unfazed. He thrives on chaos and conflict as part of his leadership style.