OpenAI: Controversy Over the Preparedness Team

The Financial Times reports on the dissolution of OpenAI's Preparedness team, while the company claims otherwise and details a security-driven organization. At the same time, the head of this team is shifting priorities, and several executives have recently departed, as OpenAI is said to be on the path toward a significant IPO.

Scandinaro Shifts Priorities; Three Executives Depart

Dylan Scandinaro will now focus on the implications of a "recursive self-improving AI." He led the Preparedness team and was recruited from Anthropic in February. Meanwhile, three executives have recently left the company: ethics lead Chloé Bakalar, chief futurist Josh Achiam, and security head Johannes Heidecke. These changes come as OpenAI moves toward what is being presented as a major public offering.

FT Reports Dissolution; OpenAI Denies and Clarifies Organization

The Financial Times reports that OpenAI dissolved its Preparedness team at the end of last month, with responsibilities allegedly redistributed by domains such as biology and cyber, then integrated into existing teams. OpenAI denies this account: according to its spokesperson Kayla Wood, the team has not been dissolved. She states that research leads cover cybersecurity, biological and chemical risks, as well as AI self-improvement capabilities. These leads report to Saachi Jain, identified by Kayla Wood as the head of security.

Preparedness Assessed Risks; Other Teams Have Been Dissolved

The mission of Preparedness was to assess whether the models posed serious risks and to design mitigation measures, including scenarios such as a model becoming uncontrollable and hacking another company. Additionally, in recent years, OpenAI has dissolved its AGI readiness team and its superalignment team.

A Historical Critic Denounces a Focus on "Shiny Products"

Jan Leike, who resigned from OpenAI in 2024, told the Financial Times that the company is neglecting security in favor of "shiny products." This criticism comes amid a backdrop of reorganizations and departures within security and ethics-related functions.