ChatGPT boss to meet Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels

BRUSSELS — Sam Altman, the CEO of ChatGPT’s creator OpenAI, will meet European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in Brussels on Thursday, according to the Commission’s calendar.

Altman spent the past week roaming across Europe — visiting Poland, Spain, France, Germany and the United Kingdom — to meet fellow techies, talk AI regulation with national leaders and ministers, and scout locations for a new OpenAI office.

A previously scheduled stop in Brussels, where Altman was expected on May 23 to speak at an event organized by OpenAI’s backer Microsoft, ended up being called off.

Von der Leyen and Altman are likely to touch upon the bloc’s upcoming Artificial Intelligence Act in their meeting.

Altman has expressed skepticism about parts of the rulebook in public appearances, with Reuters quoting him last week as saying that OpenAI would leave the EU if the law proved too burdensome. On social media and again speaking in Paris on Friday, Altman downplayed fears of a pull-out, saying that OpenAI “really want[s] to offer services in Europe,” and plans to comply with the AI Act.