Political veteran Chris Lehane nearing deal to join OpeanAI

Chris Lehane, a former policy chief for Airbnb and member of the Clinton White House, is nearing a deal to join ChatGPT-maker OpenAI as a senior executive, The Information reported on Monday, citing people familiar with the matter.

Lehane has been consulting for CEO Sam Altman for more than a year, including handling his temporary ouster in November, the report said, adding that the discussions to bring him on board have not been finalized and "could fall apart."

Reuters could not immediately reach Lehane for comment, while OpenAI did not immediately reply to a request for comment.

The Microsoft-backed startup said earlier this month that Sam Altman would return to OpenAI's board along with three new directors as the investigation around his firing concluded.

The former politician currently serves as the chief strategy officer at Haun Ventures, a cryptocurrency-focused venture capital firm.

Billionaire Elon Musk had filed a lawsuit against OpenAI at the start of the month, alleging that the startup breached their founding agreement to develop AI for the benefit of humanity, rather than for profit.