Helen Toner’s OpenAI exit only made her a more powerful force for responsible AI

She’s become a trusted voice for global policymakers seeking to mitigate the transformative technology’s biggest risks.

On November 17, 2023, Helen Toner went from being a little-known member of OpenAI’s board of directors to one of the biggest influencers in the debate over responsible AI. Toner, an AI safety and policy expert, famously voted with the majority of OpenAI board members—along with Ilya Sutskever—to oust CEO Sam Altman over concerns about his honesty with the board, commitment to safe AI, and alleged abusive treatment of employees. But OpenAI’s big money investors and vested employees revolted against Altman’s firing, and the once-and-future CEO was reinstated November 22. That meant Toner’s own time with the company had come to an end, and that Sutskever’s days were numbered