WASHINGTON - OpenAI CEO Sam Altman will meet with Republican U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Mike Johnson on Capitol Hill on Thursday, Axios reported on Wednesday, citing a source.

The office of Johnson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. OpenAI declined to comment.

Microsoft-backed OpenAI, which is the maker of ChatGPT, was founded as an open-source nonprofit, before co-founder Altman pivoted to a capped-profit structure in 2019.

In late November, Altman said Microsoft would take a non-voting, observer position on the company's board.

OpenAI had ousted Altman on Nov. 17 without any detailed cause, setting off alarm bells among investors and employees. He was reinstated four days later with the promise of a new board.

The rise of artificial intelligence has fed a host of concerns, including the fear that it could be used to disrupt the democratic process, turbocharge fraud, or lead to dramatic job loss, among other harms. Europe is ahead of the United States on regulations around AI, with lawmakers there drafting AI rules.

The administration of Democratic U.S. President Joe Biden has been pressing lawmakers for AI regulation, but a polarized U.S. Congress, where Republicans control the House and Democrats have a Senate majority, has made little headway in passing effective regulation.

  - Reuters