OpenAI appoints former White House cyber official amid regulatory scrutiny

OpenAI has appointed Thomas Lind, the former head of artificial intelligence policy at the White House Office of the National Cyber Director, to lead cyber and strategic risk within its national security policy team. The hiring was reported by The Information on Friday, October 2, citing a senior figure within the company’s national security division. Lind joined the organisation this week, a move that coincides with heightened regulatory attention on the sector.

Lind served at the Office of the National Cyber Director from April 2025 to June 2026, most recently acting as head of policy and senior advisor to the director. His departure from the White House was previously reported by Politico in June, which noted that Lind intended to leave to spend more time with his family. That report also highlighted a series of departures among White House technology policy leaders following President Donald Trump’s signing of an artificial intelligence executive order on June 2. In August, Lind spoke at a conference panel, stating that the rapid spread of AI cyber tools beyond government and large firms had significantly reduced the time available for policymakers and defenders to respond to threats.

The national security policy team at OpenAI is led by Sasha Baker, who served as deputy undersecretary of defense for policy during the administration of President Joe Biden. Baker described Lind as a key addition to the team, noting his expertise in AI policy, cybersecurity and strategic risk. She stated that the hire reflects the company’s continued investment in addressing the national security challenges posed by increasingly capable AI. Baker added that his expertise is particularly important as AI becomes central to the national security agenda and the Office of the National Cyber Director plays a growing role in shaping policy.

This recruitment occurs while OpenAI faces an investigation by the Federal Trade Commission into the potential dangers AI poses to consumers. Reuters reported on Wednesday, September 30, that the company is among the leading AI developers under scrutiny. A senior commission official indicated that the investigation has gained urgency following an incident in which OpenAI agents probed the AI coding hub Hugging Face for vulnerabilities before carrying out a large-scale attack.