OpenAI Disbands Mission Alignment Team, Appoints Chief Futurist

OpenAI has disbanded its mission alignment team, a group formed in September 2024 to help employees and the public understand the company’s mission and the impact of artificial intelligence. The company stated that the team’s work would continue across other parts of the organization.

Josh Achiam, who previously led the mission alignment team, has been appointed as OpenAI’s chief futurist. In this new role, Achiam said he will study how society and technology may evolve in response to artificial general intelligence and related advances. He will collaborate with OpenAI physicist Jason Pruet.

A company spokesperson said the six or seven members of the former mission alignment team have been reassigned to other roles within OpenAI, continuing similar work. It has not been confirmed whether Achiam will lead a new team in his futurist position.

The company described the reorganization as part of its regular internal changes. OpenAI had previously dissolved another group, the superalignment team, in 2024, which had focused on long-term AI safety and existential risk research.