Retired US Army General Paul Nakasone joins OpenAI's board of directors

Retired US Army General Paul Nakasone is a global defence cyber expert, who has been instrumental in the development of US cyber defence capabilities

US artificial intelligence giant OpenAI announced on Thursday that retired US Army General Paul M. Nakasone has joined its board of directors. The company hopes to capitalise on Nakasone’s expertise in cybersecurity as it continues to pose challenges for the field of artificial intelligence.

Nakasone will join the board’s Safety and Security Committee, OpenAI announced. “The panel is entrusted with making recommendations on critical safety and security decisions for all OpenAI projects and operations,” the company said in a blog post.

OpenAI said that Nakasone’s understanding of cybersecurity will be used to work towards detecting and tackling cybersecurity threats, thereby bolstering the field.

Rising cybersecurity threats

India has recently seen a surge in cybersecurity threats, including bomb-threat emails sent to various institutions and frequent hacking attacks on companies. According to an April report by Check Point Software, Indian companies faced an average of 2,444 attacks by hackers per week in the last six months.

As AI advances and is integrated into newer technologies, experts hope its power can be used to quickly respond to such incidents and strengthen the existing infrastructure.

“Artificial intelligence has the potential to have huge positive impacts on people’s lives, but it can only meet this potential if these innovations are securely built and deployed,“ said Bret Taylor, chair of OpenAI’s board, on Nakasone’s induction.

Who is Paul Nakasone?

“OpenAI’s dedication to its mission aligns closely with my own values and experience in public service. I look forward to contributing to OpenAI’s efforts to ensure artificial general intelligence is safe and beneficial to people around the world,” Nakasone said.

Nakasone is a renowned cybersecurity expert and has been instrumental in the development of US cyber defence capabilities. He is credited with establishing the US Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM), of which he also became the longest-serving leader. He has also helmed the National Security Agency and held various command and staff positions. Additionally, he has worked with many elite cyber units in countries including South Korea, Iraq, and Afghanistan, cementing his position as a global cyber defence expert.