Paul Christiano joins OpenAI Foundation Board
OpenAI Foundation appoints Paul Christiano to its board and Safety and Security Committee, citing his AI alignment expertise and government experience.
The OpenAI Foundation announced the appointment of Paul Christiano to its board as a non-voting observer on the OpenAI Group PBC Board. Christiano will also join the Foundation’s Safety and Security Committee, working alongside chair Zico Kolter. The committee oversees safety and security practices across OpenAI’s operations, including OpenAI Group PBC. His role is designed to strengthen governance amid advancing AI capabilities.
Christiano brings government experience from the Center for AI Standards and Innovation at NIST, where he serves as a Senior Tech Advisor. He previously worked on evaluating frontier AI models with national security implications and developing mitigation strategies for safety and security risks. His work at NIST follows earlier contributions at the U.S. AI Safety Institute.
A former leader of alignment research at OpenAI from 2017 to 2021, Christiano contributed foundational work on reinforcement learning from human feedback. He is also the founder of the Alignment Research Center, a nonprofit focused on aligning advanced AI systems with human interests. His technical background and independent perspective aim to challenge assumptions in AI governance.
The appointment aligns with governance changes following OpenAI’s recapitalization in October 2025, supported by reviews from the California and Delaware Attorneys General. The OpenAI Foundation, a charitable organization, controls OpenAI Group PBC and oversees initiatives advancing scientific discovery and responsible AI through grants and partnerships.