Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is stepping down as board chair of Helion Energy after over a decade of involvement.
This move comes amid early-stage talks for Helion to supply fusion-generated power to OpenAI, potentially securing 12.5% of its production.
Helion's Innovative Fusion Technology
Helion Energy develops a unique fusion reactor that directly converts plasma energy into electricity using magnets, bypassing traditional steam turbines.
The company's Polaris prototype recently achieved plasmas at 150 million degrees Celsius, approaching the 200 million needed for commercial viability.
Each Helion reactor is designed to produce 50 megawatts, with plans to scale massively to meet AI data center demands.
Altman's Longstanding Fusion Investments
Sam Altman has backed Helion for more than ten years, including a personal investment in its $425 million funding round.
This follows a similar step-down from Oklo's board, another clean energy venture, to enable AI partnerships.
Helion's prior deal with Microsoft in 2023 sets a precedent, promising power from 2028 onward.
The potential OpenAI agreement could deliver five gigawatts by 2030 and 50 gigawatts by 2035, requiring thousands of reactors.
Fusion energy's history dates back decades, but Helion's direct conversion method accelerates the path to net-positive power.
The impact could revolutionize OpenAI's energy needs, providing zero-carbon electricity amid surging AI compute requirements.
Looking ahead, Helion targets its first commercial reactor by 2028, outpacing competitors aiming for the early 2030s.
“This decision enables Helion and OpenAI to partner on future opportunities to bring zero-carbon, safe electricity to the world,” said Helion CEO David Kirtley.
Alfred Lee
