OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has joined SEMAFOR’s Silicon Valley & The World initiative as a co-chair, alongside prominent technology executives including NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, AMD CEO Lisa Su, Google President and Chief Investment Officer Ruth Porat, and ICONIQ founding partner Divesh Makan.
The announcement was shared by SEMAFOR co-founder and CEO Justin B. Smith on LinkedIn, who also introduced 14 additional members of the initiative’s Global Advisory Board.
The multi-year initiative aims to connect technology executives, investors and policymakers as artificial intelligence increasingly influences economic growth, national security, international competition and public policy.
SEMAFOR Expands Its Global Advisory Board
The newly announced advisory members represent artificial intelligence, enterprise technology, finance, energy and international policymaking.
They include Flutterwave co-founder Olugbenga Agboola, Ola founder Bhavish Aggarwal, AI researchers Yann LeCun and Fei-Fei Li, Replit CEO Amjad Masad, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, former U.S. Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker and former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd.
Other members named in Smith’s announcement include Pedro Azagra, John Ketchum, Pratyush Kumar, KR Sridhar, Mati Staniszewski and Raj Subramaniam.
The appointments bring together leaders from competing technology companies and different industries, creating opportunities for discussions about AI infrastructure, investment, regulation and commercialization.
Altman’s participation is particularly significant because OpenAI is among the companies developing advanced AI systems whose deployment raises questions about computing capacity, workforce disruption, safety and government oversight.
November Summit to Bring Together 400 Leaders
SEMAFOR plans to convene approximately 400 technology and AI ecosystem CEOs and global policymakers in Silicon Valley this November for two days of discussions, interviews and live journalism.
The gathering will examine the relationship between technological innovation and political decision-making, particularly as governments confront the economic and security implications of increasingly capable AI systems.
According to SEMAFOR’s original initiative announcement, the program will address AI, national competitiveness, energy demand, capital formation, security and labor markets.
The initiative was initially announced in April 2026 with five advisory co-chairs. Altman’s appointment expands that leadership group to six.
Why the Initiative Matters for Global AI Governance
The growing influence of AI companies has created a need for sustained dialogue between technology developers and public institutions.
Companies building advanced models control important technical capabilities, while governments remain responsible for laws governing competition, privacy, security and economic activity.
Bringing these groups together could help clarify competing priorities, particularly around AI infrastructure investment, international technology access and responsible deployment.
However, participation by influential executives does not itself guarantee policy agreements or regulatory outcomes. The initiative’s practical value will depend on the quality of its discussions and whether they generate meaningful engagement beyond the conference.
SEMAFOR’s Expanding Global Journalism Platform
Founded in 2022 by Justin B. Smith and Ben Smith, SEMAFOR combines international journalism with events connecting business leaders, policymakers and investors.
Its official company overview describes a journalism model focused on transparency and competing perspectives across international markets.
Silicon Valley & The World extends that approach into technology governance, positioning artificial intelligence as a central issue connecting business strategy and geopolitical decision-making.
With Altman joining an advisory leadership group that includes executives from NVIDIA, Microsoft, Google and AMD, the November gathering will provide a forum for examining how decisions made by technology companies increasingly shape economies and public policy worldwide.
