Former UK Chancellor George Osborne has made his move to OpenAI official. Also at OpenAI’s govtech team, Matt will be heading the “OpenAI for Countries” program. This joint initiative is meant to build the capacity of governments to harness the world’s best AI expertise and infrastructure. Osborne’s involvement is particularly timely as investments in AI are booming, with warnings of an impending market bubble emerging.
Osborne’s new role had been previously reported by the Financial Times. He’ll continue to work in deep partnership with governments around the world. Collectively, they will build AI infrastructure, increase AI literacy, and harness AI technologies to provide better public services. His appointment is yet another step to show that OpenAI is prioritizing the widespread sharing of the benefits of AI to all societies.
Osborne, who had previously headed up the British Museum and co-hosted a culture-lead podcast, is departing investment bank Evercore. He called this shift a “gigantic wrench.” He candidly engaged in high-level discussions about the new opportunities with OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, and COO, Brad Lightcap. We stood these discussions inspired him to work for the organization.
“I recently asked myself the question: what’s the most exciting and promising company in the world right now? The answer I believe is OpenAI.” – George Osborne
Osborne will continue working to broaden current coalitions. He’ll be focused on building new partnerships between OpenAI and different governments. The program’s overall goal is to support countries in leveraging artificial intelligence to address their most urgent challenges and improve the delivery of public services.
Chris Lehane, a spokesperson for OpenAI, expressed confidence in Osborne’s leadership abilities, stating, “In his new role, George will help to expand existing partnerships and build new ones.” That’s why he was adamant that we should set AI up as critical infrastructure. Early decisions about its governance and deployment will profoundly influence both economics and geopolitics.
“That’s exactly what the OpenAI for Countries initiative intends to achieve, helping societies around the world share the opportunity this powerful technology brings.” – George Osborne
It’s also a heady time for AI investment. This would be an extraordinary rate of growth under any circumstances. The Bank of England cautions that big tech could be due for a sudden reality check on their valuations. The AI sector is set for even more explosive growth. Trillions of dollars in debt will pay for that growth over the next five years.
As governments worldwide are urged to adapt to the escalating significance of AI, Osborne’s role at OpenAI places him at the forefront of this pivotal technological shift. Second, he will do so proactively, creating AI capabilities before they are needed. Simultaneously, he will safeguard that these innovations are in keeping with democratic ideals.