Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, is resigning from his role as board chair at Helion, the fusion energy company he supports. This move comes amid reported negotiations between the two organizations. Helion has committed to supplying 5% of its projected output—five gigawatts by 2030 and 50 gigawatts by 2035. Microsoft, a partner of OpenAI, entered into a comparable agreement with Helion in 2023 to purchase power beginning in 2028.

If the details from the Axios report are correct, it indicates Helion anticipates a swift expansion in manufacturing its fusion power facilities. The company states each reactor will produce 50 megawatts, requiring the construction and deployment of 800 reactors by 2030 and an extra 7,200 by 2035. Helion did not verify whether discussions with OpenAI are currently taking place.

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The company confirmed, “Sam is stepping down from Helion’s Board of Directors after more than a decade. We look forward to continuing to work with him in this new capacity.”

Helion is working to complete its first commercial-scale reactor by the target date. Success would position the startup well ahead of competitors, most of whom aim for commercial operations in the early 2030s. Last year, Helion secured $425 million in funding from investors such as Altman, along with firms Mithril, Lightspeed, and SoftBank.

While many fusion startups focus on one of two main methods—capturing heat from fusion reactions to drive a steam turbine for electricity—Helion is pursuing a distinct strategy. Its reactor design employs magnets to directly transform fusion energy into electrical power.

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Within its hourglass-shaped reactor, fusion fuel is initially converted into plasma at both ends and then propelled toward the center using magnetic fields. Upon collision, additional magnets compress the combined plasma until fusion takes place. The resulting reaction exerts force on the magnets, enabling direct electricity generation.

Helion is currently testing its Polaris prototype as it progresses toward commercial power production. In February, the company achieved plasmas within the reactor reaching 150 million degrees Celsius, approaching the 200 million degrees Celsius believed necessary for commercial viability.

Although Altman has resigned as Helion’s board chair and is said to have removed himself from the talks, his influence is evident in these strategic connections. Last year, he also stepped down as board chair of Oklo, a small modular nuclear reactor startup that merged with his acquisition firm, AltC.

This action was meant to enable Oklo to pursue strategic alliances with top AI companies, potentially including OpenAI. Caroline Cochran, Oklo’s co-founder and chief operating officer, stated at the time, “The move was intended to allow Oklo to explore strategic partnerships with leading AI companies, including potentially with OpenAI.”

*Update 1:30 pm ET: Added confirmation from Helion regarding Altman stepping down as board chair.*