Lilian Weng

Lilian Weng, VP of Research and Safety at OpenAI

Lilian Weng, VP of Research and Safety at OpenAI, the AI powerhouse valued at over $150 billion.

Born and raised in China, she pursued higher education in the United States. Weng earned a Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Beihang University in China and then a Master's and PhD in Computer Science from Carnegie Mellon University.

Career Highlights:
► Weng joined OpenAI in 2018 to work on AI safety and ethics.
► Prior to OpenAI, Weng worked at Snapchat as a Research Scientist, where she focused on machine learning applications for social media platforms.
► Weng is known for her research in deep learning, reinforcement learning, and AI safety and has published papers in conferences and journals.

She assumed her current role as VP of Research and Safety in July, following a series of resignations at OpenAI, including the departure of the team's previous leader. Her mandate includes consolidating safety efforts across OpenAI and managing risks associated with their cutting-edge models—work critical to ensuring the safe and responsible development of future AI systems.

With policymakers increasingly focused on AI risks, Weng was recently featured in Business Insider’s 2024 AI Power List for her leadership in promoting safe and ethical AI. Her prominence is expected to grow in tandem with OpenAI's expanding influence.

It's inspiring to see a woman leading AI safety at one of the world's most influential AI companies.

ps. Worth following: Weng maintains “Lil’Log“ on Github, a blog where she shares her insights on AI safety and alignment.