Oklo In Talks To Supply Energy To OpenAI, Prompting Sam Altman To Step Down

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has stepped down as chair of nuclear start-up Oklo to avoid a conflict of interest ahead of potential energy supply talks between the two companies, according to FT.

Altman, an early investor in Oklo since 2015, will be replaced immediately by CEO and co-founder Jacob DeWitte.

Oklo’s leadership team remains robust. CEO Jacob DeWitte, with a background in nuclear engineering, and COO Caroline Cochran, a longtime advocate for nuclear innovation, co-founded the company.

The board includes Daniel Poneman, former U.S. Deputy Secretary of Energy; Michael Thompson, a finance and tech investor; retired Lt. Gen. John Jansen, offering military and leadership insight; and Michael Klein, with deep governance and financial experience. 

The move comes as AI firms scramble to secure low-carbon, high-output energy sources to power next-generation models. OpenAI’s energy demands are expected to soar, especially with the launch of its $500 billion Stargate data center project in partnership with SoftBank.

The FT report says that while Oklo has yet to secure regulatory approval or formal partnerships, a deal with OpenAI would mark another step in the growing trend of direct agreements between tech firms and small modular reactor (SMR) developers.

SMRs—advanced nuclear plants under 300 megawatts—are drawing rising interest, with companies like Amazon, Microsoft, and Rolls-Royce backing the sector. Since early 2024, developers including Oklo, X-energy, and Newcleo have raised over $1.5 billion. Oklo has been one of our favorite names at Zero Hedge to watch. 

Altman, also a major investor in nuclear fusion company Helion, has faced scrutiny over his many ventures. His complex financial ties were cited during his brief ouster from OpenAI’s board in 2023. After reinstating him, the company pledged to tighten its conflict-of-interest policies.

“Fission is an essential solution for meeting the growing energy demands of artificial intelligence. As Oklo explores strategic partnerships to deploy clean energy at scale, particularly to enable the deployment of AI, I believe now is the right time for me to step down,” Altman said. 

At the same time, according to IEEE Spectrum, the U.S. Department of Energy is offering $900 million to help small modular reactors (SMRs) move from blueprint to build. Originally launched in October 2024, the program was revised last month to match President Trump’s energy agenda—removing community benefit requirements and giving equal weight to technical and commercial factors.

Applications are due April 23. The funding targets advanced Generation III+ reactors that use light water as coolant and low-enriched uranium fuel. Each design must generate 50–350 megawatts, emphasize factory-based construction, and aim for deployment in the 2030s with enhanced safety and efficiency.

Despite heavy global investment, no SMR project has broken ground in the U.S., with many stalled or canceled. Canada and China are further along, but still lack operational models.

The DOE’s streamlined program demands near-term deployment plans, putting SMRs to a long-awaited test: can they finally break out of the prototype phase?