OpenAI, the troubled startup behind the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT, has announced the appointment of retired U.S. Army General and former NSA chief Paul Nakasone to its board of directors, claiming it will leverage his extensive experience in cybersecurity to safeguard its cutting-edge technology.
Bloomberg reports that in a statement released on Thursday, OpenAI revealed that General Paul Nakasone, former head of the National Security Agency (NSA) and the U.S. Cyber Command, will join the company’s board of directors. Nakasone will be a part of the Safety and Security Committee, a specialized group tasked with making critical decisions related to safety and security at OpenAI.
An effigy of former OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is seen on a mobile device screen in this illustration photo taken in Warsaw, Poland on 21 November, 2023. Former head of OpenAI Sam Altman has said he is still willing to lead the company after his ousting if two board members resign according to The Verge. (Photo by Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Bret Taylor, chair of OpenAI’s board, emphasized the significance of Nakasone’s addition, stating, “Artificial Intelligence has the potential to have huge positive impacts on people’s lives, but it can only meet this potential if these innovations are securely built and deployed. General Nakasone’s unparalleled experience in areas like cybersecurity will help guide OpenAI in achieving its mission.”
The appointment of General Nakasone follows a series of recent changes to OpenAI’s board composition. In March, CEO Sam Altman rejoined the board after an independent investigation cleared him of wrongdoing related to his ouster in November. The company also added several prominent figures to its board, including Sue Desmond-Hellmann, former head of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Nicole Seligman, a former Sony Entertainment executive; and Fidji Simo, CEO of Instacart.
At the same time, OpenAI has suffered from key departures, including co-founder and Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever. As Breitbart News previously reported:
The New York Times reports that in November, Sutskever joined other board members to force out CEO Sam Altman in a surprising move. Altman, a prominent figure in the tech industry, was reinstated five days later as the discord resolved. Sutskever, however, never returned to work after the board reaappointment. In a departure announcement, OpenAI stated that Sutskever had been “instrumental” to the company’s progress.
Earlier this month, OpenAI employees signed an open letter about the lack of safety oversight in the AI industry:
The letter calls for a “right to warn about artificial intelligence” and asks for a commitment to four principles around transparency and accountability. These principles include a provision that companies will not force employees to sign non-disparagement agreements that prohibit airing risk-related AI issues and a mechanism for employees to anonymously share concerns with board members.
The employees emphasize the importance of their role in holding AI companies accountable to the public, given the lack of effective government oversight. They argue that broad confidentiality agreements block them from voicing their concerns, except to the very companies that may be failing to address these issues.
Read more at Bloomberg here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.
