OpenAI's head of safety systems resigns
What's the story
David Robinson, the head of Safety Systems at OpenAI, has resigned from his position. His exit comes as part of a series of high-profile departures from the artificial intelligence (AI) company this year. The exact reason for his departure remains unclear but it comes amid growing concerns over the implications of rapidly evolving AI technology. Robinson joined OpenAI in May 2023 as head of policy planning before being promoted to lead its Safety Systems team in October 2024.
Career highlights
Robinson's role at OpenAI
During his time at OpenAI, Robinson worked on safety transparency and was instrumental in creating system cards detailing information about its models.
He had also served as the head of policy planning at the company.
His departure has caused a major shake-up in the company's safety team, Business Insider reported, citing a company spokesperson.
Education and experience
His education and early career
Robinson holds a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy from Princeton University, a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) from the University of Oxford, and a Juris Doctor (JD) from Yale Law School.
Prior to joining OpenAI, he held various positions including those of managing editor at The American, associate director at Princeton University's Center for Information Technology Policy, summer associate at Covington & Burling, and visiting fellow at Yale Law School.
Information
Early career highlights
Robinson began his career as an intern at TIME Magazine before moving on to The Wall Street Journal and its Asia edition. He also served as an adjunct professor of law at Georgetown University Law Center from 2017 to 2020.
Prior positions
Previous experience before joining OpenAI
Before joining OpenAI in 2023, Robinson was the managing director and co-founder of Upturn from 2011 to 2020.
He also served as a visiting scientist at Cornell University from 2018 to 2021 and worked as a consultant at the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy in 2022.
Between 2022 and 2023, he was the faculty director at Apple University.
Executive exits
Other high-profile exits from OpenAI this year
Robinson's exit is the latest in a string of high-profile departures from OpenAI this year.
Other notable exits include Denise Dresser (Chief Revenue Officer), Brad Lightcap (Chief Operating Officer), Kevin Weil (VP of OpenAI for Science), Bill Peebles (Research Scientist), Srinivas Narayanan (CTO for Business Applications), Kate Rouch (CMO), Chloe Bakalar (Head of Ethics), and Johannes Heidecke (Head of Safety Systems).