OpenAI Disbands Preparedness Team Ahead of IPO

OpenAI dissolved its preparedness team — responsible for evaluating catastrophic AI model risks before deployment — at the end of July 2026, calling it a "streamlining process" ahead of its IPO. CEO Sam Altman had urged staff to cut "side quests" and focus on ChatGPT. Preparedness duties were distributed to senior staff in other teams. The move follows departures of safety head Johannes Heidecke and ethics lead Chloé Bakalar.