OpenAI hires former US Army secretary for national security AI

OpenAI has hired former US Army secretary Dan Driscoll as Senior Counselor for National Security Modernization, a newly created position. He will advise the company’s leadership and work with governments, industry, academia and allied institutions on national security and cybersecurity uses of advanced AI.

Driscoll previously oversaw the US Army’s operations, modernization and resources, including nearly one million active, reserve and National Guard soldiers and more than 265,000 civilian employees. OpenAI says he will help its teams understand the operational needs of national-security institutions and identify practical modernization projects.

The company is framing the appointment around responsible use, collaboration with US allies and what it calls “democratic AI.” Driscoll will also support OpenAI’s Daybreak cybersecurity program, which gives approved defenders access to specialized models for vulnerability research and security testing.

The hire is significant because it creates a direct bridge between a frontier AI lab and senior military institutions. It does not by itself announce a new defense contract or weapons program, but it shows OpenAI is building permanent expertise for government and security deployments rather than treating them as occasional partnerships.