On May 17, Jan Leike, a machine learning researcher who co-leads OpenAI’s ‘superalignment’ team, announced his departure from the company in a thread on X. In his post, Leike expressed that his last day as head of alignment, superalignment lead, and executive at OpenAI had passed, marking the end of his tenure at the organization.
Leike reflected on his time at OpenAI, describing it as a “wild journey” spanning three years. He initially joined the company with the belief that it would be the ideal place to pursue his research. However, over time, Leike found himself in disagreement with the leadership and core priorities of OpenAI, leading to a breaking point that prompted his resignation.
In a series of posts, Leike highlighted his concerns about OpenAI’s approach to safety and emphasized the need for the company to focus more on preparing for the challenges posed by advancing AI technologies. He emphasized the importance of prioritizing safety in the development of artificial general intelligence (AGI) and voiced his belief that OpenAI should shift its focus towards areas such as security, monitoring, preparedness, and societal impact to ensure the safe deployment of AGI.
Leike stressed that the pursuit of building machines smarter than humans is a risky endeavor and that OpenAI carries a significant responsibility on behalf of humanity. He called for the organization to take a more serious stance on the implications of AGI and to prioritize thorough preparation to ensure that AGI benefits all of humanity. Leike’s departure from OpenAI signals his commitment to these ideals and his belief in the importance of proactive measures to address the challenges posed by advancing AI technologies.
