Edward Snowden Criticises Former NSA Chief’s Appointment to OpenAI Board

Former NSA and CIA employee Edward Snowden has criticised the invitation of retired US Army General Paul Nakasone to join the board of directors and the Security and Safety Committee of OpenAI.

They’ve gone full mask-off: ?? ??? ???? trust @OpenAI or its products (ChatGPT etc). There is only one reason for appointing an @NSAGov Director to your board. This is a willful, calculated betrayal of the rights of every person on Earth. You have been warned. https://t.co/bzHcOYvtko

— Edward Snowden (@Snowden) June 14, 2024

“They’ve gone full mask-off: never trust OpenAI and its products (ChatGPT and others). There is only one reason for appointing NSA to the board. This is a willful, calculated betrayal of the rights of every person on Earth. You have been warned,” Snowden wrote.

On June 13, OpenAI announced Nakasone’s appointment to the board, describing the move as a reflection of the company’s commitment to protection and safety principles. In the Security and Safety Committee, he will be responsible for developing recommendations on critical security and protection decisions for all company projects and operations.

Nakasone, a US Army General, led US Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM) and the NSA (retired in February 2024). He is expected to assist OpenAI in enhancing cybersecurity through rapid threat detection and response using AI.

The news also drew a reaction from Elon Musk.

Can’t wait for OpenAI to have access to my phone …

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 14, 2024

“Can’t wait for OpenAI to have access to my phone…,” he wrote.

Earlier, on June 10, Apple announced a partnership with OpenAI to integrate ChatGPT into Siri, iOS, iPadOS, and macOS.

In response, Musk threatened to ban the corporation’s devices in his companies if this step is implemented.