OpenAI seeks new Head of Preparedness as Sam Altman warns of escalating AI risks
21 Sources
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OpenAI is looking for a new Head of Preparedness | TechCrunch
OpenAI is looking to hire a new executive responsible for studying emerging AI-related risks in areas ranging from computer security to mental health. In a post on X, CEO Sam Altman acknowledged that AI models are "starting to present some real challenges," including the "potential impact of
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Sam Altman is hiring someone to worry about the dangers of AI
OpenAI is hiring a Head of Preparedness. Or, in other words, someone whose primary job is to think about all the ways AI could go horribly, horribly wrong. In a post on X, Sam Altman announced the position by acknowledging that the rapid improvement of AI models poses "some real challenges." The
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OpenAI Is Hiring Head of Preparedness, Amid AI Cyberattack Fears
If you're interested in a high-stress, high-compensation role, where you get to battle the emerging threat of frontier-grade AI systems being used for malicious cyberattacks, OpenAI might have the job for you. The ChatGPT firm has announced it's hiring a Head of Preparedness. In a post on X, CEO
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OpenAI seeks new safety chief as Altman flags growing risks
There's a big salary up for grabs if you can handle a high-stress role with a track record of turnover How'd you like to earn more than half a million dollars working for one of the world's fastest-growing tech companies? The catch: the job is stressful, and the last few people tasked with it
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Sam Altman wants to pay some lucky person $555,000 a year to look after OpenAI's AI - but obviously, all is not quite as it seems
Sam Altman has shared that OpenAI is looking for a new Head of Preparedness, citing its rapidly improving AI tools, models and emerging risks. The ChatGPT maker is offering a salary of $555,000 plus equity to one lucky individual, however CEO Altman has warned the "Head of Preparedness" job is set
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Sam Altman launches job search to fill 'critical role' to protect against AI's harms
New head of preparedness at OpenAI will face daunting in-tray amid fears from some experts that AI could 'turn on us' The maker of ChatGPT has advertised a $555,000-a-year vacancy with a daunting job description that would cause Superman to take a sharp intake of breath. In what may be close to
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OpenAI looks to hire a new Head of Preparedness to deal with AI's dangers
OpenAI is hiring a new Head of Preparedness, a role that CEO Sam Altman calls a "critical role at an important time." What is a Head of Preparedness? It's a role that basically helps OpenAI consider all the potential harms of its models and what can be done to mitigate them. Those harms encompass
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OpenAI wants to hire someone to handle ChatGPT risks that can't be predicted
The role focuses on predicting, testing, and reducing real-world AI harms OpenAI is betting big on a role designed to stop AI risks before they spiral. The company has posted a new senior role called Head of Preparedness, a position focused on identifying and reducing the most serious dangers that
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OpenAI is paying $555,000 to hire a head of 'preparedness'
OpenAI is offering $555,000 plus equity for a Head of Preparedness, which is either the industry growing up or the industry hiring someone to stand closer to the blast radius. But any anxiety will be well-compensated. The job listing reads like a grown-up version of the "imagine the worst-case
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OpenAI is hiring a 'head of preparedness' with a $550,000 salary to mitigate AI dangers that CEO Sam Altman warns will be 'stressful' | Fortune
OpenAI is looking for a new employee to help address the growing dangers of AI, and the tech company is willing to spend more than half a million dollars to fill the role. OpenAI is hiring a "head of preparedness" to reduce harms associated with the technology, like user mental health and
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OpenAI says it's hiring a head safety executive to mitigate AI risks
Mary Cunningham is a reporter for CBS MoneyWatch. She previously worked at "60 Minutes," CBSNews.com and CBS News 24/7 as part of the CBS News Associate Program. OpenAI is seeking a new "head of preparedness" to guide the company's safety strategy amid mounting concerns over how artificial
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OpenAI hiring senior preparedness lead as AI safety scrutiny grows - SiliconANGLE
OpenAI hiring senior preparedness lead as AI safety scrutiny grows OpenAI Group PBC is looking to hire a head of preparedness, a senior safety role tasked with anticipating potential harms from the company's artificial intelligence models and guiding how those risks are mitigated as capabilities
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OpenAI offers 555k salary for stressful head of preparedness role
OpenAI has initiated a search for a new "head of preparedness" to manage artificial intelligence risks, a position offering an annual salary of $555,000 plus equity, Business Insider reports. CEO Sam Altman described the role as "stressful" in an X post on Saturday, emphasizing its critical nature
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OpenAI Is Prepared to Pay Someone $555,000 -- Plus Equity -- for This 'Stressful Job'
The role involves anticipating the ways AI systems could go wrong. OpenAI is offering more than half a million dollars in salary to fill what could be one of the most stressful jobs in tech -- a new Head of Preparedness tasked with anticipating the ways powerful AI systems could go wrong. In a
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OpenAI Wants a Head of Preparedness for AI Safety, Will Pay Big Bucks
The individual should be an expert in machine learning and AI safety OpenAI is looking for a Head of Preparedness who will help the artificial intelligence (AI) company anticipate threats that can emerge from its AI models and plan ways to mitigate them. The company is also willing to pay a
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OpenAI seeks candidate for a 'stressful' role; offers over $555,000 a year - The Economic Times
OpenAI is hiring for a role aimed at reducing the risks that come with artificial intelligence (AI) systems. The position, titled 'head of preparedness', carries a compensation of more than $5,55,000 a year, plus equity, highlighting the importance the company places on the job. OpenAI chief Sam
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Sam Altman Says OpenAI Is Hiring A Head Of Preparedness As AI Risks Grow
Enter your email to get Benzinga's ultimate morning update: The PreMarket Activity Newsletter OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the company is seeking a Head of Preparedness, a role focused on addressing the growing challenges posed by advanced AI models. Altman Highlights Urgent Need For AI Safety
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OpenAI Seeks AI Safety-Focused 'Head of Preparedness' | PYMNTS.com
By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions. Writing in an X post Saturday (Dec. 27), CEO Sam Altman said that the new "Head
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Sam Altman Reveals OpenAI's Head of Preparedness for AI Risk Control
OpenAI has taken a major step forward to curb the risks of AI misuse, cyberattacks, and negative societal impacts in 2026. The tech giant will recruit a Head of Preparedness whose sole responsibility includes devising a long-term strategy for AI safety, risk mitigation, and governance as
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Head of Preparedness: OpenAI's new critical safety role and why its important
Inside OpenAI's safety strategy and the new Head of Preparedness OpenAI is searching for a new executive to fill one of the most demanding positions in the technology industry. The company is hiring a Head of Preparedness, a role situated within its Safety Systems team. This position is distinct
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Sam Altman says OpenAI is hiring a senior leader to manage AI risks, paying over $500,000
The position pays around $555,000 annually plus equity and sits within OpenAI's Safety Systems team. OpenAI has been in the headlines for offering big compensation packages to its employees. Now, the ChatGPT maker is looking for a new employee, offering more than $500,000 a year for a senior
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OpenAI is hiring a new Head of Preparedness to manage emerging AI risks, from cybersecurity vulnerabilities to mental health impacts. Sam Altman acknowledged that rapidly improving AI models are creating real challenges, offering a $555,000 salary for what he describes as a high-stress role with immediate demands.
OpenAI Hiring Head of Preparedness Amid Growing Concerns
OpenAI is searching for a new executive to lead its preparedness efforts as AI models advance at an unprecedented pace. CEO Sam Altman announced the opening in a post on X, acknowledging that AI models are "starting to present some real challenges" that require closer oversight
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. The position comes with a base salary of $555,000 plus equity, but Altman warned candidates that "this will be a stressful job and you'll jump into the deep end pretty much immediately"4
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Source: Digit
The Head of Preparedness role focuses on executing OpenAI's preparedness framework, which the company describes as its approach to tracking and preparing for frontier capabilities that create new risks of severe harm
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. The successful candidate will be responsible for building and coordinating capability evaluations, threat models, and mitigations that form a coherent safety pipeline2
.Sam Altman on AI Risks in Cybersecurity and Mental Health
Sam Altman specifically highlighted two critical areas where mitigating risks from AI models has become urgent. First, he noted that models are "so good at computer security they are beginning to find critical vulnerabilities"
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. This concern is backed by industry reports, including one from Anthropic last month detailing how a Chinese state-sponsored group manipulated its Claude Code tool to attempt infiltration of roughly thirty global targets, including tech companies, financial institutions, and government agencies3
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Source: Digit
The potential impact on mental health represents another significant challenge. Altman stated that OpenAI saw "a preview of model-related mental health impacts in 2025," though he didn't elaborate on specific cases
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. Recent lawsuits allege that ChatGPT reinforced users' delusions, increased social isolation, and even contributed to suicides1
. OpenAI rolled back a GPT-4o update in April 2025 after acknowledging it had become overly sycophantic and could reinforce harmful user behavior4
.High Turnover Plagues AI Model Safety Leadership
The Head of Preparedness position has seen more turnover than stability since its creation. OpenAI first announced the preparedness team in 2023 to study potential catastrophic risks, ranging from immediate threats like phishing attacks to more speculative dangers such as nuclear threats
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. Aleksander Madry, director of MIT's Center for Deployable Machine Learning, held the role until July 2024, when OpenAI reassigned him to a reasoning-focused research position4
.Following Madry's departure, OpenAI appointed Joaquin Quinonero Candela and Lilian Weng to lead the preparedness team. Neither lasted long in the position. Weng left OpenAI in November 2024, while Candela transitioned out of preparedness in April for a three-month coding internship before moving to head of recruiting
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. Other safety executives at OpenAI have also left the company or taken on new roles outside of preparedness and AI safety1
.Related Stories
Managing Advancing AI Capabilities and Biosecurity Threats
The new Head of Preparedness will oversee critical areas beyond cybersecurity and mental health. According to the job specification, biosecurity represents another major risk area the candidate will address
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. In this context, biosecurity concerns include advanced AI systems being used to design bioweapons, a risk more than 100 scientists from universities and organizations worldwide have warned about3
.Altman emphasized that the role involves setting guardrails for self-improving systems and securing AI models for the release of biological capabilities
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. The company recently updated its preparedness framework, stating it might "adjust" its safety requirements if a competing AI lab releases a high-risk model without similar protections1
.What This Means for OpenAI's Safety Trajectory
The urgency behind OpenAI hiring Head of Preparedness reflects broader tensions within the company about balancing rapid innovation with responsible development. Former employees have criticized OpenAI for prioritizing commercial opportunities and AGI goals over safety considerations
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. One executive who left in October called out the company for not focusing enough on safety and the long-term effects of its AGI push4
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Source: Fortune
Reports about burnout at OpenAI have been building, with former technical team executives describing a secretive, high-pressure environment and anecdotal reports of 12-hour days
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. Whether the $555,000 compensation package will be enough to attract and retain talent in this demanding role remains uncertain, especially given the position's track record.As large language models continue advancing and demonstrating frontier capabilities, the need for robust safety evaluations and threat models becomes more pressing. The successful candidate will need to develop a nuanced understanding of how capabilities could be abused while enabling cybersecurity defenders with cutting-edge tools and ensuring attackers cannot exploit them for harm
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. This balance will prove critical as OpenAI navigates the complex landscape of AI risks while pursuing its mission to develop artificial general intelligence.References
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