OpenAI has hired Dan Driscoll, a former US Army secretary, as a senior counselor for national security and modernization. The company said he will work with its teams and representatives from government, academia and industry to advance practical modernization initiatives and accelerate the development of democratic AI.
Driscoll will advise public- and private-sector partners on how AI can support national security. OpenAI also said he will work to promote the development of AI that supports democratic principles.
Driscoll left his government post in August after repeated disagreements with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, including disputes over personnel and leadership decisions, according to the report. President Donald Trump nominated Driscoll, and the Senate confirmed him in 2025, when he was 38. He was the 26th US Army secretary and the youngest person to hold the role. He is also a close friend of Vice President JD Vance, whom he knew from Yale Law School.
Sources: Handelsblatt.