OpenAI’s Sam Altman quit Helion’s board amid partnership plans

OpenAI Chief Executive Officer, Sam Altman, announced to step down from the fusion startup, Helion Energy, as both companies plan on a large-scale partnership. Altman has been backing the startup since 2025, and now it's planning on a major energy supply deal.

Helion CEO David Kirtley shared an X (formerly Twitter) post confirming that Altman is stepping down from the Board of Directors. It further highlighted that Helion and OpenAI are exploring “future partnerships to bring zero-carbon, safe electricity to the world, which Helion is perfectly poised to deliver.”

Kirtley further acknowledges Altman’s support over the years, saying, “Sam, thank you for your vision, your encouragement, and your commitment to Helion. I look forward to working with you in this new capacity.”

Sam Altman also reshared the post, acknowledging that if the two companies explore partnership plans, then it would create a conflict of interest for him to serve on both boards at the same time.

“I will have a financial interest in Helion, so still be recused from negotiations, but from a governance perspective, this will make things easier for both companies,” Altman said.

According to an Axios ​report, OpenAI is in talks to buy electricity from Helion Energy, and that it may lock in a share of Helion’s power production. Initially, OpenAI is expected to secure about 12.5% of Helion’s total energy output. 

In addition, it was also stated that by 2030, it may receive power equivalent to 5 GW, and by 2035, that could scale up to 50GW.

In 2023, Microsoft made a similar deal with Helion to buy power starting in 2028, securing future energy. Now, within this timeline, Helion is said to build the first full-scale, commercially usable fusion reactor, and if it pulls it off, it could become a leader in fusion energy.