OpenAI appoints former US Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll as national security advisor

A new position at OpenAI

OpenAI has appointed former US Secretary of the Army Dan Driscoll as senior advisor for national security modernization — a specially created role dedicated to the responsible use of artificial intelligence in national security, cybersecurity, and defense. The company itself announced the appointment, as reported by Anadolu.

What Driscoll will do

According to the outlet, Driscoll will engage with OpenAI's senior leadership, government officials, industry representatives, academic institutions, and international partners to identify opportunities to apply advanced AI to strengthen national security, primarily that of the United States and its allies. In his new role, he will advise partners in the public and private sectors on modernizing policies and strategies to integrate AI into national security operations, and will also help OpenAI's internal teams better understand the operational requirements and challenges faced by security institutions around the world.

Context of the appointment

Driscoll served as the 26th Secretary of the Army, overseeing operations, modernization programs, and resource allocation. His departure from the post, as Anadolu notes, followed reports of disagreements with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth over the leadership of the Army and modernization priorities. Driscoll himself described the move to OpenAI as an opportunity to help the military and national security institutions take advantage of rapidly evolving technologies: “I am joining OpenAI to help the United States and our allies responsibly apply these technologies for the sake of those who keep us safe.” OpenAI CEO Sam Altman welcomed the appointment, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation: “AI should give people more power over their lives, and people should have a voice in how it develops.”