ChatGPT CEO Sam Altman offers $555k salary for extremely challenging job

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is offering an annual salary of $555,000 for what he has described as an extremely demanding and high-stress role at the company.

The artificial intelligence (AI) firm is recruiting a new “head of preparedness,” a position focused on identifying and defending against serious risks linked to rapidly advancing AI systems. 

The role is considered one of the most challenging within the company, reflecting the growing concerns around the unintended consequences of powerful AI tools.

According to OpenAI, the successful candidate will oversee preparedness efforts across several critical areas, including cybersecurity threats, mental health impacts, and potential misuse of advanced AI models. 

The role will also involve monitoring so-called “frontier capabilities” and preparing for scenarios where AI could cause severe harm if misused.

Altman shared details of the vacancy on social media, warning that the job would be intense from the start. 

He said the company is entering a phase where understanding how AI systems could be abused is just as important as measuring how capable they are. 

Altman noted that there is little historical guidance for managing risks at this scale, making the position especially complex.

The announcement comes amid broader warnings from industry leaders about AI safety.