Top US official named to OpenAI non-profit board warns advanced AI could be ‘deadly’

A top US official has been named to OpenAI’s non-profit board and has warned that advanced artificial intelligence could be “deadly,” according to the Financial Times. The appointment places a senior public-sector figure within the governance structure overseeing one of the world’s most prominent AI developers.

OpenAI develops and deploys generative AI systems, including tools capable of producing text, images and software code. Its non-profit board has an important role in the organisation’s governance, particularly as debate over the risks and societal effects of increasingly capable AI systems intensifies.

Warnings about advanced AI have become a central part of policy discussions in the United States and elsewhere. Governments, researchers and technology companies are weighing how to encourage innovation while addressing concerns including safety, misuse, accountability and the potential consequences of highly capable systems.

The reported warning underscores the scrutiny facing OpenAI and the broader AI sector as developers race to build more powerful models. Board appointments and governance arrangements are likely to remain closely watched as policymakers consider how to oversee the technology’s development and deployment.