Role Scope & Objectives

The newly created "Head of Preparedness" at OpenAI will lead the company’s preparedness framework. Responsibilities include coordinating capability evaluations, developing threat models, and creating scalable safety pipelines to address frontier AI risks.

Areas of Focus

The role spans a range of high-stakes issues, including mental health implications of AI, cybersecurity threats, biological capabilities, and self-improving systems, underscoring the complexity and breadth of the position. 

Compensation and Urgency

OpenAI is offering a compensation package exceeding US $500,000 annually, plus equity, reflecting the critical and demanding nature of this work. Sam Altman described the position as "stressful," indicating immediate immersion into high-pressure challenges. 

Safety Culture Under Strain

Altman acknowledged that as AI capabilities have grown, processes ensuring safety have lagged behind “shiny products.” This role is intended to re-anchor safety at the core of OpenAI’s business priorities. 

Context of Departures and Concern

The role follows a wave of internal exits, like those of Jan Leike and Daniel Kokotajlo, who cited dwindling confidence in OpenAI's readiness for AGI and safety governance. The previous Head of Preparedness, Aleksander Madry, transitioned roles in July 2024.  

Dominion Energy’s Legal Challenge Against BOEM’s Stop‑Work Order

Dominion filed a lawsuit challenging the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s (BOEM) decision to impose a stop-work order on its Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project, calling the action "arbitrary and capricious" and a breach of constitutional limits on executive power. The company is seeking a court injunction to prevent the enforcement of the order.

Strategic Importance of the Project for Virginia’s Data Centers

CVOW, part of Virginia's “data center alley,” is designed to meet surging electricity demands, particularly from AI-intensive data centers. Dominion asserts the project is critical to delivering the “electrons...to win the AI race”. The administration’s pause, Dominion argues, undermines energy reliability at a time when grid demand is doubling.

The 90-Day Pause and National Security Justifications

The Interior Department, led by Secretary Doug Burgum, defended the halt as necessary to assess newly flagged national security risks, including radar interference concerns. However, national security experts question these claims, noting no change in threats and that the projects had previously passed Pentagon reviews.

Costs of Delays and Economic Stakes

Dominion has already invested $8.9 billion in the $11.2 billion project, which is set to produce 9.5 million megawatt-hours per year, enough for about 660,000 homes. The halt is not only delaying clean energy delivery but also risking billions in sunk costs and increased energy prices for consumers.

Broader Impacts on U.S. Offshore Wind and Legal Precedents

This lawsuit is part of escalating legal friction following Trump-era executive orders aimed at stalling offshore wind development. A federal judge recently struck one such order as “arbitrary and capricious”. Critics argue the administration’s approach jeopardizes clean energy investments, jobs, and U.S. competitiveness, particularly as AI drives up electricity demand.