OpenAI seeks new head of preparedness amid growing AI safety concerns

ISTANBUL

OpenAI is looking to appoint a new head of preparedness to steer its safety strategy as concerns grow over the potential misuse of artificial intelligence technologies.

According to a job posting on Monday, the successful candidate will earn $555,000 to lead the company’s safety systems team, which OpenAI says is responsible for ensuring that AI models are developed and deployed responsibly.

Earlier, CEO Sam Altman said in a post on US social media company X that the role would be highly demanding, noting that the person hired would “jump into the deep end almost immediately.”

"This is a critical role at an important time; models are improving quickly and are now capable of many great things, but they are also starting to present some real challenges,” Altman said.

The move comes amid growing scrutiny of artificial intelligence’s impact on mental health, following multiple allegations that OpenAI’s chatbot, ChatGPT, was involved in interactions prior to several suicides.

Altman also said the rapid advancement of AI models has been accompanied by emerging risks, acknowledging growing safety concerns.

He noted that the potential impact on mental health first became evident in 2025 and warned that models are now becoming capable enough in computer security to begin uncovering critical vulnerabilities.