OpenAI’s chief security officer, Johannes Heidecke, is leaving the company following an internal restructuring that merged its safety and research divisions, according to a Saturday report from Wired.
As detailed in the article, research director Mark Chen informed staff that OpenAI’s safety teams will now report to vice president of research and head of AI alignment, Mia Glis, whose responsibilities have been expanded to oversee both research and safety efforts.
Saachi Jain will serve as acting head of safety systems, reporting to Glis, Wired reported, citing an internal memo.
According to the publication, Heidecke informed colleagues of his departure from the company earlier this week.
In a statement to Wired, Chen thanked Heidecke for his contributions to OpenAI’s growth, adding that the company believes it is essential to more closely integrate safety work with the development of advanced AI models.
“It’s critical that our safety work is embedded within the development of cutting-edge models—with earlier and more direct involvement in shaping key decisions around models, products, and their deployment,” Chen was quoted as saying.
These personnel changes follow another high-profile departure earlier this week. OpenAI’s chief futurist, Joshua Achiam, also informed colleagues that he was leaving the company after nine years of service, Wired reported.
The restructuring comes as OpenAI continues to expand its AI capabilities, amid growing scrutiny from regulators, governments, and industry observers regarding AI safety, corporate governance, and the development of increasingly powerful advanced models.
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