lipflip – OpenAI has opened a search for a new Head of Preparedness. A senior role designed to anticipate and mitigate potential harms arising from advanced AI systems. The hiring push comes after a turbulent year for the company. Marked by growing scrutiny over the societal and psychological impacts of its models. In 2025, OpenAI faced multiple accusations related to ChatGPT’s influence on users’ mental health. Including several wrongful death lawsuits that intensified public and regulatory attention.
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OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman addressed the context of the role in a post on X. Describing it as “critical at an important time.” He acknowledged that the company had seen “a preview” in 2025 of how powerful AI models could affect mental health. Alongside other emerging challenges tied to rapidly advancing capabilities. According to Altman, these developments underscore the need for a dedicated leader to guide preparedness efforts as OpenAI continues deploying frontier models at scale.
The position reflects broader industry concerns about misuse, psychological dependency, and unintended consequences linked to generative AI. As models become more capable, companies face increasing pressure to demonstrate that they can responsibly assess and manage risks before they cause widespread harm. OpenAI has positioned the Head of Preparedness as a central figure in shaping that response.
Role Responsibilities, Compensation, and Recent Leadership Changes
According to the official job listing, the Head of Preparedness will earn a base compensation of approximately $555,000 per year, in addition to equity. The role involves leading the technical strategy and execution of OpenAI’s Preparedness framework. Which outlines how the company tracks, evaluates, and prepares for frontier AI capabilities that could pose severe risks. The framework is intended to evolve as models advance and new categories of harm emerge.
Altman has been candid about the demands of the position. Describing it as “a stressful job” where the successful candidate will “jump into the deep end pretty much immediately.” The Head of Preparedness will be expected to stay ahead of evolving threats. Coordinate across research and policy teams, and adapt safety strategies as external expectations from regulators, partners, and the public continue to shift.
The search follows a period of significant turnover within OpenAI’s safety leadership. OpenAI reassigned Aleksander Madry, the company’s former Head of Preparedness, in July 2024. At that time, Altman said executives Joaquin Quinonero Candela and Lilian Weng would share the responsibilities. Weng left OpenAI a few months later, while Quinonero Candela announced in July 2025 that he would step away from preparedness work to lead the company’s recruiting efforts.
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As a result, these changes have raised questions among observers about continuity in OpenAI’s safety governance. In response, by recruiting a dedicated Head of Preparedness, the company appears to signal a renewed commitment to centralized oversight of AI risks. Meanwhile, as OpenAI continues to deploy increasingly influential models, the outcome of this hire may ultimately play a significant role in shaping how the company balances innovation with responsibility in the years ahead.