The man who helped unleash generative AI on the world is now publicly warning about its growing dangers. Sam Altman, chief executive of OpenAI, has announced the search for a new Head of Preparedness, a role aimed at addressing what he describes as “real challenges” emerging from increasingly powerful AI systems.
The senior position, offering a reported annual compensation of up to $5.55 lakh, will lead OpenAI’s preparedness framework, evaluating advanced AI capabilities and coordinating safeguards across areas such as cybersecurity, biosecurity and the risk of AI systems improving themselves.
‘A stressful job in the deep end’
Announcing the role on X, Altman acknowledged the scale of the task. “Models are improving quickly and are now capable of many great things, but they are also starting to present some real challenges,” he wrote, adding a blunt warning to applicants: “This will be a stressful job and you’ll jump into the deep end pretty much immediately.”
A key focus, according to OpenAI, will be finding ways to strengthen cybersecurity defences without enabling attackers to misuse cutting-edge AI tools—an area Altman admits has “little precedent”.
Safety teams and internal churn
The hiring push comes amid growing scrutiny of OpenAI’s safety culture. The company’s Superalignment team, launched in 2023 to address risks from future super-intelligent systems, was disbanded in May 2024. Its co-lead, Jan Leike, quit with a sharp critique, saying safety had taken a back seat to “shiny products”.
Another internal group, the AGI Readiness team, was dissolved in October 2024. Meanwhile, OpenAI’s previous Head of Preparedness, Aleksander Madry, was reassigned last year, leaving the role vacant as AI capabilities rapidly expanded.
Lawsuits and mental health concerns
Pressure has intensified due to lawsuits alleging that ChatGPT worsened users’ mental health, reinforced delusions and, in extreme cases, contributed to self-harm. OpenAI has said it is working to improve the system’s ability to recognise and respond to emotional distress, but critics note that product development has not slowed.
The debate has also reignited questions about contradiction at the heart of the AI race. Altman himself signed a 2023 statement warning that AI extinction risks should be treated alongside pandemics and nuclear war. Yet OpenAI continues to scale aggressively, now valued at around $157 billion.
For the incoming Head of Preparedness, the challenge will be formidable: making AI safer while operating inside a company pushing the technology forward at unprecedented speed.