OpenAI has appointed George Osborne as managing director and head of its OpenAI for Countries initiative, tasking the former chancellor with leading the company’s global push to work with governments on national artificial intelligence strategies.
Osborne, 54, who served as Conservative chancellor from 2010 to 2016, will take up the London-based role in January. He will oversee the international expansion of OpenAI’s “Stargate” initiative, which aims to support the development of AI infrastructure while promoting what the company describes as “democratic” values in the deployment of the technology.
The appointment comes as competition intensifies among leading AI groups to deepen relationships with governments. Rival start-up Anthropic appointed former prime minister Rishi Sunak as an adviser in October, underlining the growing crossover between politics and the fast-developing AI sector.
OpenAI for Countries is positioned as an overseas extension of Stargate, OpenAI’s programme to build large-scale data centre capacity in the United States. Internationally, the initiative is intended to help governments develop AI systems aligned with democratic principles, while also supporting local innovation ecosystems, skills development, education and digital infrastructure.
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