OpenAI has announced the appointment of George Osborne as managing director and head of its OpenAI for Countries initiative. The former UK chancellor will lead the company’s efforts to engage with governments worldwide on developing national artificial intelligence strategies. Osborne, aged 54, who served as Conservative chancellor from 2010 to 2016, will begin his London-based role in January. He will oversee the international expansion of OpenAI’s “Stargate” initiative, which aims to foster AI infrastructure development while promoting democratic values in technology deployment.
This appointment comes amid increasing competition among leading AI companies to strengthen ties with governments. In a similar move, rival start-up Anthropic appointed former prime minister Rishi Sunak as an adviser in October, highlighting the growing intersection between politics and the rapidly evolving AI sector.
OpenAI for Countries serves as an international extension of Stargate, OpenAI’s programme to build large-scale data centre capacity in the United States. Globally, the initiative aims to assist governments in developing AI systems aligned with democratic principles, while also supporting local innovation ecosystems, skills development, education, and digital infrastructure.
Osborne expressed enthusiasm for his new role, describing OpenAI as “the most exciting and promising company in the world right now.” He added that conversations with senior executives, including Sam Altman and Brad Lightcap, had reassured him of the company’s commitment to responsible AI development and widespread benefit.
Since leaving frontline politics in 2017, Osborne has cultivated a diverse portfolio career. He has served as editor of the Evening Standard, co-hosts the Political Currency podcast with former Labour shadow chancellor Ed Balls, and currently chairs the British Museum. Additionally, he is co-president of the Northern Powerhouse Partnership and an adviser to Coinbase, the cryptocurrency exchange, having previously advised BlackRock.
In 2021, Osborne became a partner at boutique investment bank Robey Warshaw, which was acquired by Evercore earlier this year. He confirmed his intention to step down from the bank prior to joining OpenAI. Sir Simon Robey, a founding partner of Robey Warshaw, praised Osborne’s contributions to the firm and expressed confidence in his future impact at OpenAI.
This move underscores OpenAI’s increasing focus on international policy engagement, as governments worldwide strive to regulate and harness AI. With an estimated valuation of around $500 billion, OpenAI is positioning itself not just as a technology provider, but as a strategic partner to states seeking to shape the future governance and deployment of artificial intelligence.
