Miles Brundage

Miles Brundage is a prominent figure in the field of artificial intelligence policy, having served as the Head of Policy Research at OpenAI from January 2021 until his recent departure in October 2024. His career at OpenAI began in August 2018 as a Research Scientist focused on policy, where he played a crucial role in shaping the organization's approach to AI safety and deployment practices.

Education and Early Career

Brundage earned his PhD in Human and Social Dimensions of Science and Technology from Arizona State University in 2019. His academic background includes a position as an AI Policy Research Fellow at the University of Oxford's Future of Humanity Institute from 2016 to 2018. Prior to his academic pursuits, he worked in various roles related to energy policy, including positions at the U.S. Department of Energy and internships at the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the Alliance for Climate Protection.126

Contributions at OpenAI

During his tenure at OpenAI, Brundage led significant initiatives such as the company's external red teaming program and the development of system cards that document AI model capabilities and limitations. He was instrumental in promoting responsible deployment practices for AI technologies, particularly language generation systems like ChatGPT. His work was characterized by a focus on ensuring that AI advancements benefit humanity while addressing potential risks associated with these technologies.234

Recent Developments

In October 2024, Brundage announced his departure from OpenAI to pursue independent policy research and advocacy. He expressed a desire to have a broader impact on AI policy outside of the corporate environment, citing constraints on publishing research as a motivating factor for his decision. He plans to establish or join a nonprofit organization dedicated to AI policy research, focusing on areas such as AI safety regulation, economic impacts, and strategic frameworks for AI development.3457

Brundage's exit from OpenAI is part of a larger trend of high-profile departures from the organization amid ongoing discussions about its direction and governance. Despite leaving, he remains optimistic about OpenAI's mission and emphasizes the importance of rigorous decision-making in AI development.45