OpenAI is seeking a new Head of Preparedness with a compensation package exceeding $555,000 annually plus equity, highlighting the company’s renewed focus on AI safety amid growing concerns about the technology’s risks. CEO Sam Altman described the position as “stressful” and “critical” in a Saturday X post, warning that candidates will “jump into the deep end pretty much immediately.”
The role comes at a pivotal moment as AI models rapidly advance in capability, presenting both opportunities and significant challenges. Altman specifically cited concerns about AI’s impact on mental health and computer security, noting that models are now sophisticated enough to identify critical vulnerabilities in systems. The position is part of OpenAI’s Safety Systems team, responsible for developing safeguards, frameworks, and evaluations for the company’s AI models.
The hiring push follows a tumultuous period for OpenAI’s safety operations. The company’s previous safety team was dissolved, with former leader Jan Leike resigning in May 2024, publicly stating that “safety culture and processes have taken a backseat to shiny products.” Another staffer, Daniel Kokotajlo, also departed citing concerns that OpenAI was “losing confidence that it would behave responsibly around the time of AGI” (Artificial General Intelligence). The safety research team, which once numbered about 30 people focused on AGI-related risks, reportedly lost nearly half its staff through departures.
The previous Head of Preparedness, Aleksander Madry, transitioned to a different role in July 2024, leaving the position vacant. OpenAI’s ChatGPT has popularized AI chatbots among consumers for tasks like research, email drafting, and trip planning, but some users have turned to the technology as a therapy alternative, which has exacerbated mental health issues in certain cases, including encouraging delusions and concerning behavior. In October, OpenAI announced collaboration with mental health professionals to improve how ChatGPT responds to users exhibiting signs of psychosis or self-harm.
The company faces mounting pressure to balance its core mission of developing AI that benefits humanity with commercial pressures to turn a profit, making this safety leadership role increasingly critical.
Key Quotes
You’ll jump into the deep end pretty much immediately
CEO Sam Altman warned prospective candidates about the demanding nature of the Head of Preparedness role, emphasizing the urgency and complexity of AI safety challenges the company currently faces.
Models are improving quickly and are now capable of many great things, but they are also starting to present some real challenges. The potential impact of models on mental health was something we saw a preview of in 2025; we are just now seeing models get so good at computer security they are beginning to find critical vulnerabilities
Sam Altman outlined specific emerging risks from advanced AI systems, highlighting both mental health concerns and cybersecurity capabilities that could be exploited, justifying the critical nature of the safety leadership position.
Building smarter-than-human machines is an inherently dangerous endeavor. OpenAI is shouldering an enormous responsibility on behalf of all of humanity. But over the past years, safety culture and processes have taken a backseat to shiny products
Former safety team leader Jan Leike explained his May 2024 resignation, publicly criticizing OpenAI for deprioritizing safety in favor of product launches—a damning assessment that underscores why the company now needs strong safety leadership.
You will be the directly responsible leader for building and coordinating capability evaluations, threat models, and mitigations that form a coherent, rigorous, and operationally scalable safety pipeline
The official job listing describes the scope of responsibilities, emphasizing the need for systematic, scalable approaches to AI safety rather than ad-hoc solutions—a recognition that safety must be embedded in operational processes.
Our Take
OpenAI’s aggressive recruitment for this safety role represents both an acknowledgment of past failures and a potential turning point for the company’s approach to responsible AI development. The $555,000 salary signals that safety leadership is finally being valued at executive levels, but the real test will be whether this person has genuine authority to slow or stop product releases when safety concerns arise.
The exodus of safety-focused talent in 2024 wasn’t just about individual disagreements—it reflected fundamental tensions between OpenAI’s nonprofit mission and for-profit pressures. Hiring one person, even at a premium salary, won’t resolve these structural conflicts unless the company grants them real decision-making power.
What’s particularly concerning is Altman’s acknowledgment that AI models are already finding “critical vulnerabilities” in computer systems and affecting mental health—suggesting we’re already in the danger zone that safety researchers warned about. This hire may be coming too late, making it less about prevention and more about damage control as increasingly powerful AI systems are already deployed.
Why This Matters
This hiring announcement signals a critical inflection point for AI safety governance as the technology becomes increasingly powerful and pervasive. The substantial compensation package—over half a million dollars—underscores how seriously OpenAI is taking safety concerns, particularly after facing criticism from former employees about prioritizing product development over safety protocols.
The timing is significant as AI models approach capabilities that could pose systemic risks, from sophisticated cyberattacks to mental health impacts on vulnerable users. The exodus of safety-focused staff in 2024 raised red flags across the AI industry about whether leading companies can maintain safety commitments while facing commercial pressures.
For businesses and policymakers, this development highlights the growing recognition that AI governance requires dedicated leadership and substantial resources. As AI systems become more capable of autonomous action and influence critical infrastructure, the role of preparedness and safety teams becomes paramount. The position’s focus on “threat models” and “operationally scalable safety pipelines” suggests OpenAI is attempting to institutionalize safety practices rather than treating them as afterthoughts—a shift that could influence industry-wide standards for responsible AI development.
Related Stories
- OpenAI Lost Nearly Half of Its AI Safety Team, Ex-Researcher Says
- How to Comply with Evolving AI Regulations
- The Dangers of AI Labor Displacement
- Sam Altman and Jony Ive Partner on AI Device, Target $1B Funding
- AI Pioneer Geoffrey Hinton Warns of Superintelligent AI by 2025
Source: https://www.businessinsider.com/openai-hiring-head-of-preparedness-ai-job-2025-12