Some of OpenAI's top new executives are a nod to its upcoming fights in the courtroom and Washington

by · Business Insider Nederland
Alastair Grant/AP; Rebecca Zisser/BI

Happy Fed rate-cut day! What do you get when you mix Mormons, swinging, and TikTok? A reality TV show that's been tough for their families but great for business.

In today's big story, we're looking at the most powerful people at the most powerful startup.

What's on deck:

But first, meet the brain trust.


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The big story

Who's who at OpenAI

Adobe Firefly, Wavebreakmedia/Getty, Tyler Le/BI

Who's running OpenAI besides Sam Altman?

I'll forgive you if you're having a tough time coming up with some names. While Altman has remained in the spotlight — for better or worse — he's surrounded himself with several new executives over the past year.

Business Insider's Darius Rafieyan profiled OpenAI's leaders shaping the future of the AI giant.

It's not surprising OpenAI had an executive facelift. When a coup fails, the instigators don't tend to stick around. Many of the people Darius highlighted have joined since the failed Altman ouster last November.

But it's not just about Altman bringing in executives he thinks will remain loyal to him. Controversies be damned, OpenAI has made some big moves this year, which means it needs to add more leaders.

The startup nabbed a partnership with Apple to power its AI features and is reportedly raising a round, composed of a who's who of the biggest names in tech, that values it at $150 billion.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman.Jason Redmond/AFP/Getty Images

A good chunk of the executives Darius highlighted aren't involved in OpenAI's tech.

Some of OpenAI's most high-profile executives are instead addressing legal challenges and lobbying regulators in the US and abroad.

It's a nod to the fact OpenAI's biggest upcoming fights will take place in a courtroom as opposed to a computer screen. That might not sound exciting compared to cutting-edge AI, but it'll clearly be a major focus of every industry player.

Copyright lawsuits against OpenAI over its usage of data to train its AI is one of its main concerns. But the issues don't stop there, as broader questions have been raised about the responsible usage of AI.

None of that might sound as exciting as OpenAI's new models, but the impact from lawyers and lobbyists could ultimately be more impactful.

Early wins for OpenAI around policing AI could set precedents the company can leverage for years to come.


News brief

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What's happening today

  • Fed announces its interest rate decision after months of speculation over a long-awaited September cut.
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  • Business Roundtable CEO Economic Outlook survey is released.
  • Fortune releases ranking of world's openly LGBTQ+ leaders based on revenue of their organization.

The Insider Today team: Dan DeFrancesco, deputy editor and anchor, in New York. Hallam Bullock, senior editor, in London. Milan Sehmbi, fellow, in London. Amanda Yen, fellow, in New York.

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