OpenAI has appointed George Osborne as managing director and head of its OpenAI for Countries initiative, tasking the former chancellor to lead the company's global effort 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 heats up among leading AI groups to deepen ties with governments. Rival start-up Anthropic hired former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as an adviser in October, underscoring the growing disconnect between politics and the fast-growing AI field.
For countries, OpenAI is deployed as an overseas extension of Stargate, OpenAI's program to build large-scale data center capacity in the United States. Internationally, the initiative aims to help governments develop AI systems in line with democratic principles, as well as support local innovation ecosystems, skills development, education and digital infrastructure.
Osborne said OpenAI is the most exciting and promising company in the world right now, adding that discussions with senior executives have reassured him about the company's intentions.
“After speaking with Sam Altman and Brad Lightcap, it is clear that they care very deeply about harnessing the power of artificial intelligence responsibly, and that its benefits are felt by everyone,” he said.
Since leaving frontline politics in 2017, Osborne has built a wide-ranging career portfolio. He was editor of the Evening Standard, co-hosts the Political Currency podcast with former Labor Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls, and is currently Chairman of the British Museum. He also serves as co-chair of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership and an advisor to Coinbase, a cryptocurrency exchange and previously BlackRock.
In 2021, Osborne became a partner at boutique investment bank Robbie Warshaw, which was acquired by Evercore earlier this year. He confirmed that he would resign from the bank before joining OpenAI.
Sir Simon Robie, founding partner of Robbie Warshaw, said: “George has made a significant contribution to the life and business of Robbie Warshaw, and I am confident he will bring the same impact to OpenAI.”
The move reflects OpenAI's growing focus on international policy engagement as governments around the world race to regulate and harness AI. With an estimated valuation of around $500 billion, the company is positioning itself not only as a technology provider, but also as a strategic partner for states that want to shape how artificial intelligence is built, operated and deployed in the years to come.
Amy Ingham
Amy is a newly qualified journalist specializing in business journalism with responsibility for news content at Business Matters, the UK's largest print and online source of current business news.
