OpenAI hires Republican adviser, bucking trend among tech companies

The AI giant hired former US Army secretary Dan Driscoll for a new national security role just two months after he resigned after clashing with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. In recent weeks, we’ve chronicled a rush of companies staffing up with Democrats in anticipation of a blue wave on Tuesday. But on Monday, OpenAI bucked the trend, hiring former US Army secretary Dan Driscoll for a new national security role just two months after he resigned after clashing with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. While tapping a top Republican operative close to the vice president defies conventional wisdom, it’s a good reminder that Trump remains president for another two years — an eternity in AI time — and that OpenAI sees value in advancing its priorities while it still holds executive favor. Regardless of what happens in Tuesday’s midterm elections, OpenAI knows that Trump’s national security apparatus remains a powerful force in deciding which new models get approved for use and who can access them.