In recent developments, prominent figures in Silicon Valley, including White House AI & Crypto Czar David Sacks and OpenAI’s Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon, have publicly criticized AI safety advocacy groups. They allege that these organizations are driven by self-interest or influenced by powerful backers, rather than genuine concern for public welfare.
AI safety organizations have expressed to TechCrunch that such accusations are part of a broader pattern of intimidation by Silicon Valley leaders. This isn’t an isolated incident; in 2024, certain venture capital firms propagated rumors suggesting that California’s AI safety legislation, SB 1047, would criminalize startup founders. Although the Brookings Institution identified these claims as misrepresentations, Governor Gavin Newsom ultimately vetoed the bill.
The recent statements from Sacks and Kwon have heightened concerns among AI safety advocates. Several nonprofit leaders, fearing potential backlash, have chosen to speak anonymously. This situation highlights the escalating tension between the drive to develop AI technologies rapidly and the imperative to ensure their responsible and ethical deployment.
On October 14, 2025, David Sacks posted on X (formerly Twitter), accusing Anthropic—a company that has raised alarms about AI’s potential societal risks—of leveraging fear to push for regulations that would favor its interests and burden smaller startups. Anthropic was notably the sole major AI firm to support California’s Senate Bill 53 (SB 53), which mandates safety reporting for large AI enterprises and was enacted last month.
Sacks’s comments were in response to an essay by Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark, which detailed his apprehensions about AI’s trajectory. Clark had previously presented these concerns at the Curve AI safety conference in Berkeley, conveying a sincere reflection on the challenges posed by AI advancements.
Sacks further contended that Anthropic is executing a sophisticated regulatory capture strategy, positioning itself as an adversary to the current administration. This assertion underscores the complex interplay between AI industry leaders and policymakers, as they navigate the balance between innovation and regulation.
