OpenAI announced the appointment of retired U.S. Army General Paul M. Nakasone to its Board of Directors on 13 June 2024 [source]. Nakasone previously served as commander of U.S. Cyber Command and director of the National Security Agency from 2018 to 2023.

The appointment follows OpenAI's establishment of a Safety and Security Committee in May 2024, which Nakasone will join. According to the announcement, the committee will provide recommendations on critical safety and security decisions for OpenAI projects and operations.

OpenAI stated that Nakasone's experience in cybersecurity at the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command would inform the company's efforts to understand how AI can be used to strengthen cybersecurity. The company also cited his expertise in areas including how actors might seek to use AI for malicious cyber activity.

Nakasone's appointment represents OpenAI's continued expansion of governance structures around AI safety and security. The company has faced scrutiny over the past year regarding internal safety processes, including the dissolution and reformation of its Superalignment team and departures of senior safety-focused researchers.

The announcement did not specify whether Nakasone's role would include oversight of model deployment decisions, red-teaming processes, or the company's Preparedness Framework introduced in December 2023. OpenAI stated the Safety and Security Committee would make recommendations but did not detail the committee's authority or decision-making scope.

Nakasone joins a board that underwent significant restructuring following the November 2023 removal and reinstatement of CEO Sam Altman. The current board composition includes representatives from academic institutions and technology industry backgrounds.