OpenAI Appoints Former NSA Chief Paul Nakasone to Board
The Facts
Artificial intelligence (AI) company OpenAI has appointed retired US Army General and former Director of the US National Security Agency (NSA), Gen. Paul Nakasone, to its board of directors.
OpenAI said Nakasone, who was the longest-serving head of the US Army Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM), will also join the board's new Safety and Security Committee, which is tasked with "making recommendations" for "all OpenAI projects and operations."
The Spin
As the longest-serving leader of US Cyber Command, Gen. Nakasone will use his national security expertise to help safeguard American AI so developers can safely distribute it to consumers. AI has the potential to benefit the world, but only if it's free from the prying eyes of bad actors.
Paul Nakasone should not be praised in any way whatsoever. He's the one who oversaw the NSA's illegal mass surveillance of millions of Americans, including by outsourcing its spy tactics to UK intelligence agencies to circumvent US law. No one should Trust OpenAI after this decision.