Exclusive: OpenAI disbanded its mission alignment team

Here's something that caught my attention — OpenAI recently disbanded its mission alignment team, a move that’s raising eyebrows. This team was created in 2024 to make sure AI benefits everyone, according to Casey Newton's reporting. Now, instead of focusing on that mission, the seven employees have been reassigned, and Joshua Achiam, who led the team, is now titled 'chief futurist.' ((slower)) It's a significant shift, especially since OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman announced Achiam’s new role on the same day Mira Murati and other key researchers suddenly left the company. As Newton points out, this comes amid a lot of upheaval — researchers leaving, returning, and new titles. So what does this actually mean? Well, it might suggest a strategic pivot away from mission-focused work, or maybe just internal restructuring. Either way, it’s a clear sign that even the most prominent AI labs are navigating some uncertain waters. And get this — what’s next for OpenAI’s goals remains pretty unclear.