Political consultant Chris Lehane pivots from Web3 to AI

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—by Protos Staff

The Information has reported that Chris Lehane, a former political consultant, is close to finalizing a deal that would have him join OpenAI.

Lehane is currently the Chief Strategy Officer for Haun Ventures, the cryptocurrency investment firm led by Kathryn Haun. Haun previously led Andreessen Horowitz’s cryptocurrency investment efforts and before that, served as the Digital Currency Coordinator for the Department of Justice.

In his role at Haun Ventures, Lehane claimed that the Securities and Exchange Commission’s (SEC) reaction to cryptocurrency was “over their skis” and worried that they were not treating the industry “in a way that is really consistent with the American tradition.” 

Before Lehane worked in the cryptocurrency industry, or the artificial intelligence industry, he was a well-connected political figure who served with a variety of politicians. These experiences include serving as one of the lawyers responsible for helping Bill Clinton manage his presidential scandals, for which he was described by Republican political strategist Karl Rove as “one of the Democratic Party’s best opposition researchers.” 

Read more: Chris Dixon says a16z doesn’t sell its crypto tokens — portfolio disagrees

Lehane’s reported deal with OpenAI comes as the firm has been thrust into the attention of lawmakers and regulators. Fox News reported today that the House of Representatives AI task force is intending to hold hearings with the goal that by the end of this year they will “issue a report that details a regulatory framework for artificial intelligence.”

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