OpenAI Shifts To Independent Oversight, Altman Steps Down From Safety Committee

OpenAI CEO and co-founder Sam Altman will no longer serve on the organisation’s Safety and Security Committee as it transitions into a more “independent board oversight committee”.

The committee was established in May 2024 to provide safety recommendations on the AI models developed and deployed by the Microsoft-backed startup.

Altman’s leadership role in this oversight body had raised concerns about whether members could objectively evaluate the safety and security of OpenAI’s models.

With Altman stepping down, the committee now includes two OpenAI board members – former NSA chief Paul Nakasone and Quora co-founder Adam D’Angelo.

The company has also announced its plans to increase transparency regarding the capabilities and risks of its AI models.

Before the safety committee was established, both current and former OpenAI employees had voiced concerns that the company was expanding too rapidly to ensure safe operations.