1. Composition of Safety and Security Committee
2. Criticism and Concerns about OpenAI
3. OpenAI's Investment Plans

OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, has stepped down from the company's internal Safety and Security Committee, a group established in May to oversee critical safety decisions. This move comes amid concerns from U.S. lawmakers and former OpenAI employees about the company's safety and legal compliance.

Composition of Safety and Security Committee

The Safety and Security Committee will now function as a separate board-level committee that monitors safety and security issues. The new chair of the committee will be Zico Kolter, a professor at Carnegie Mellon University, alongside Quora CEO Adam D'Angelo, retired U.S. Army General Paul Nakasone, and former Sony executive Nicole Seligman. All are current members of the OpenAI board. The group will still have the power to hold back the release of AI models until safety concerns are addressed.

Criticism and Concerns about OpenAI

In a [blog post](https://openai.com/index/update-on-safety-and-security-practices/) following Altman’s departure, OpenAI reaffirmed its commitment to safety and noted that the committee had previously approved the safety of the newest model, o1. The committee will regularly receive further information from the company’s safety and security personnel to keep members updated and informed on future AI model releases. OpenAI also plans to enhance safety measures through technical reviews and well-outlined objectives for model launches. This comes amid criticisms, especially from five U.S. senators [who expressed](https://www.king.senate.gov/newsroom/press-releases/king-colleagues-demand-answers-from-openai-following-reports-of-safety-and-secrecy-concerns#:~:text=In%20the%20letter%20to%20OpenAI,safety%20review%20and%20insufficient%20cybersecurity) concern over the company’s safety measures this summer. Critics have also [noted](https://www.cryptopolitan.com/openai-former-researchers-california-ai-bill/) that more than half of the staff tasked with dealing with the long-term consequences of AI have left the company. Some have claimed that Altman is more concerned with the business aspect of AI than with its regulation.

OpenAI's Investment Plans

In the first half of 2024, OpenAI's federal lobbying expenditures totaled $800,000, significantly higher than the $260,000 spent for all of 2023. Earlier this year, Altman became a member of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Artificial Intelligence Safety and Security Board. The committee is expected to advise on the use of AI in the country’s critical systems. OpenAI is reportedly in discussions to secure a massive new round of funding that could push its valuation to $150 billion. According to a recent report by [*Cryptopolitan*](https://www.cryptopolitan.com/openai-aims-for-150-billion-valuation/), OpenAI plans to secure $6.5 billion from investors at its current valuation. Altman revealed the changes to the staff during a recent meeting but did not disclose many details. He mentioned that the company had 'grown too large' for its current structure and was prepared to shift from a non-profit model to a traditional for-profit model by 2025.

OpenAI continues to face criticism and challenges but remains committed to improving its safety measures and attracting significant investments for future growth and development.