ChatGPT Maker OpenAI Has A New Safety And Security Committee With Sam Altman Onboard

In a blog post dated May 28, OpenAI stated that the committee would provide recommendations on safety and security measures for its AI initiatives.

ChatGPT maker OpenAI has set up a "Safety and Security Committee", in a bid to evaluate its artificial intelligence (AI) models, with company CEO Sam Altman playing a key role as the company gears up for its next AI model training phase. In a blog post dated May 28, OpenAI stated that the committee would provide recommendations on safety and security measures for its AI initiatives.

The newly formed committee will three board members. Their primary objective is to enhance and develop OpenAI’s safety protocols.

“Following the full board’s review, OpenAI will publicly share an update on adopted recommendations in a manner that is consistent with safety and security,” the company said in a blog post.

The committee's work will involve a detailed evaluation over the next 90 days, and prepare a report based on their findings. OpenAI has committed to publicly sharing an update on the recommendations adopted after the full board's review, ensuring transparency and alignment with safety and security standards.

The committee will include three board members -- Chairman Bret Taylor, Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo, and former Sony Entertainment executive Nicole Seligman -- along with six OpenAI employees, including CEO Sam Altman. Additionally, the company will seek advice from two external experts: Rob Joyce, a Homeland Security adviser under Donald Trump, and John Carlin, a former Justice Department official under President Joe Biden.

OpenAI's recent quick advancements in artificial intelligence have sparked concerns over potential risks, reaulting in significant internal disagreements.

These differences, particularly with co-founder and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, contributed to CEO Altman's brief ouster late last year. In May 2024, both Sutskever and a key deputy, Jan Leike, departed from OpenAI, citing struggles with securing adequate computing resources.

OpenAI's progress in AI technology has not been without controversy. The company's aggressive push forward raised alarms about safety and ethical considerations, leading to internal conflicts. The most notable disagreement was between CEO Sam Altman and co-founder Ilya Sutskever, ultimately resulting in Altman's ouster.