Who is David Robinson? Safety Systems team lead at OpenAI, joining the list of execs who left the AI firm this year

OpenAI Safety Systems leader David Robinson has stepped down, becoming the latest senior official to leave the AI company this year. While the reason for his departure remains unclear, his exit comes amid a series of high-profile departures from OpenAI.

Artificial intelligence (AI) company OpenAI is going through a troubled time. As the debate around the implications of the rapidly evolving technology gains momentum, David Robinson, OpenAI's Safety Systems team leader, has stepped down from his position, making him yet another name on the already high-profile list of officials who have left the company this year.

Citing a company spokesperson, Business Insider reported the development on Friday (local time), adding that Robinson left last week, marking an upheaval in the company's safety team. Robinson, who worked on safety transparency at the firm, including helping to develop and share system cards that give information regarding its models, had previously led OpenAI's policy planning.

While the exact reason for Robinson's departure remains unclear, he said in a social media post last month that people at OpenAI were beginning to recognise the implications of highly capable AI models, while also expressing some doubts. He added that things at OpenAI "are indeed changing significantly by the day, but I do not know whether we are changing fast enough."

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Here's what we know about David Robinson

According to his LinkedIn profile, Robinson's educational background includes a Bachelor's degree in Philosophy from Princeton University, a BA in Philosophy, Politics and Economics (PPE) from the University of Oxford, which he attended from 2004 to 2006, and a Juris Doctor (JD) from Yale Law School, which he completed from 2009 to 2012.

OpenAI execs who left this year

Robinson's departure adds to a growing list of senior OpenAI executives and officials who have left the company this year. Some of the most prominent names include:

Denise Dresser — Chief Revenue Officer

Swati Gandhi