SAN FRANCISCO — OpenAI has strengthened its governance and commitment to AI safety by appointing Zico Kolter to its Board of Directors. Zico Kolter, a prominent figure in machine learning and the Director of the Machine Learning Department at Carnegie Mellon University, brings extensive expertise in AI safety, alignment, and robustness, making him a valuable addition to OpenAI’s leadership team.
Zico Kolter’s expertise spans the development of advanced deep network architectures, innovative methods for analyzing the impact of data on AI models, and automated techniques for evaluating the robustness of machine learning systems. His pioneering work has led to the creation of deep learning models with guaranteed robustness, as well as groundbreaking approaches to embedding hard constraints within AI models.
In addition to joining the Board, Zico will serve on OpenAI’s Safety and Security Committee, where he will collaborate with other directors, including Bret Taylor, Adam D’Angelo, Paul Nakasone, Nicole Seligman, and OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman, to provide guidance on critical safety and security decisions across all OpenAI projects.
Bret Taylor, Chairman of the Board, expressed his enthusiasm for the appointment, stating, “Zico brings a profound technical understanding of AI safety and robustness. His insights will be instrumental in ensuring that the development of general artificial intelligence remains aligned with the goal of benefiting all of humanity.”
Zico Kolter’s academic and professional background is distinguished by his leadership in machine learning. After completing his Ph.D. in computer science at Stanford University, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at MIT, Zico has been a key contributor to the field, authoring numerous award-winning papers and leading research teams in innovative AI safety projects. His industry experience includes roles as Chief Data Scientist at C3.ai, Chief Expert at Bosch, and Chief Technical Advisor at Gray Swan, a startup focused on AI safety and security.
Zico’s addition to OpenAI’s Board underscores the organization’s ongoing efforts to ensure that the development and deployment of AI technologies are conducted with the highest standards of safety and responsibility.
