This tracker was last updated on August 3, 2026.
The artificial intelligence industry is rapidly reshaping every facet of life, from the popularity of chatbots and disruption of the workplace to the industry’s insatiable demand for energy and water straining our communities and environments. The majority of Americans are concerned about AI’s growing role in society, and a significant portion – 45% – believe that the government is doing too little to rein in AI’s effects on children and young people.
While President Trump’s coziness with AI oligarchs has been a defining feature of his administration, AI companies are hedging their bets on Democratic leaders as well. AI-focused political action committees are spending millions to back AI-friendly Democratic candidates as well as Republicans.
The Revolving Door Project is tracking AI companies that have hired senior level Democrats who staffed the Biden administration – figures who are likely to be in positions of power for a future Democratic administration. Thus far, we’ve tracked 98 former Biden admin senior staff from the White House and other executive branch agencies who have gone on to AI industry companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, Meta, and Amazon.
While we understand that non-political, high-ranking officials who might have planned to stay in government after the Biden administration may have been pushed out by DOGE and Russell Vought-led attacks on the civil service and government capacity, the private sector is not just AI, despite what its propagandists might suggest. There are non-AI and non-government relations jobs available for our country’s best credentialed people, and so it is revealing when former government officials choose to help AI companies shore up their political power.
Methodology
To identify senior-level former Biden administration officials who have gone on to work for AI industry companies, we performed targeted searches for former executive branch employees under the Biden administration now employed by or on the board of AI companies. We assessed individuals for seniority through their titles and the scope of their work, including political appointees. We verified their work histories using professional biographies and government records. We assessed firms for whether they significantly hinge on AI, rather than simply utilizing AI products. We included firms that could be considered:
- AI hyperscalers
- AI product developers, including chatbot products
- Defense-focused AI developers
- AI hardware manufacturers
- AI industry and lobbying groups
- Consulting firms focused on AI, including those with AI industry clients
- AI-focused startups
- Venture capital firms that prominently invest in AI startups
- Holding companies with a prominent AI focus
We hope to expand this list using other sources of information, including FOIA requests, to more fully understand how the AI industry has sought to hire former government officials.
If there is information in this tracker you believe to be incorrect, please reach out to info[at]therevolvingdoorproject.org
Key Findings
Note: the total number of source workplaces may exceed our total number of individuals tracked, as some individuals held multiple roles across different agencies or departments.