Over the past year, OpenAI, the premier artificial intelligence company, has experienced a whirlwind of transformations. A board of directors composed entirely of Caucasian men has surfaced amidst this upheaval.
In summary, the board appointed CTO Mira Murati as the interim CEO on November 17, ousting CEO Sam Altman due to concerns regarding his authenticity in communications. Consequently, on November 19, Microsoft unveiled the hiring of Greg Brockman, a former OpenAI leader and chairman of the board, to spearhead a state-of-the-art artificial intelligence team. A staggering 95% of OpenAI’s workforce signed a letter threatening to resign if Altman was not reinstated and the new board was not dissolved on the same day. This pivotal moment also marked the introduction of Emmett Shear, CEO of Twitch, as the new interim CEO. Three days later, Altman was reinstated as the CEO of OpenAI, and a fresh board was announced.
Amidst this captivating sequence of events, a notable change emerged: the absence of any female members on OpenAI’s board.
Just a month after collaborating on a document that displeased Altman for its critical stance towards the company, former board member Helen Tomer, Director of Strategy and Foundational Research Grants at Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology, was removed from her position. Tasha McCauley, a former CEO of GeoSim Systems and a senior management professor at Rand Corporation, was also ousted from the board due to her involvement in Altman’s removal. However, Adam D’Angelo, another board member who played a role in the decision, retained his position.
The homogeneity of the new board raises concerns as OpenAI’s leadership in AI development necessitates diverse perspectives to mitigate biased outcomes.
Nevertheless, there is an opportunity for OpenAI to expand its membership, presenting a chance to recruit exceptional women to enhance gender diversity on the board and guide the company towards a transparent and secure future.
Elizabeth Scallon, a seasoned business and development expert, took to LinkedIn to recommend several outstanding women for OpenAI to consider for board positions. Drawing from her suggestions, additional insights from comments, and personal admiration for female AI leaders, here are ten potential candidates for separate roles on the OpenAI board:
- Dr. Fei-Fei Li, co-director of the Stanford Institute for Human-Centered Artificial Intelligence, renowned for her technical expertise, business acumen, and advocacy for diversity and inclusion.
- Dr. Timnit Gebru, co-founder of Black in AI, a respected AI researcher focusing on ethical and social implications of AI, ideal for shaping ethical AI frameworks at OpenAI.
- Alessya Visnjic, leading WhyLabs, an AI monitoring and observability platform, offering valuable insights on AI transparency and reliability.
- Dr. Latanya Sweeney, former US Federal Trade Commission chief technologist, known for her expertise in ethical AI, data privacy, and public interest tech.
- Professor Daphne Koller, AI scholar and co-founder of Coursera, bringing profound knowledge of AI ethics, applications, and practical implications.
- Daniela Braga, CEO of Defined, specializing in ethically sourced AI education data, offering expertise in AI, natural language processing, and data ethics.
- Professor Manuela Veloso, AI researcher at Carnegie Mellon University, recognized for her work in robotics and AI organization, bridging academia and industry at OpenAI.
- Lisa Nelson, investor and former co-founder of Microsoft’s M12, bringing strategic insights in innovation and organizational development to OpenAI.
- Dr. Rana el Kaliouby, CEO of Affectiva, a pioneer in Emotion AI, offering expertise in human-machine interaction and emotional intelligence.
- Kieran Snyder, co-founder of Textio, a platform using AI for language analysis, known for her expertise in computational linguistics and AI fairness.
These individuals represent a fraction of the potential board members who could enrich OpenAI with their diverse perspectives and expertise. It is hoped that OpenAI prioritizes experienced candidates to ensure that those shaping the future of AI truly reflect the global community impacted by these advancements.
