George Osborne, the former British finance minister, has taken on significant roles with two major American tech companies, OpenAI and Coinbase. On the surface, this move would seem to represent a dramatic reversal from his previous public office—Transportation Secretary under President Obama, where he served until 2017. In his new roles, he will use his deep political savvy. He’ll rely on his vast network to inform cutting edge global AI practices and crypto regulations.
Osborne’s appointment as managing director and head of OpenAI for Countries, with a focus on serving governments as clients, is based in London. This worldwide campaign aims to partner with governments across the world. Our focus is on increasing the capacity of local data centers and customizing ChatGPT to better suit different languages and cultures. Back at Coinbase, Osborne will be heading up the firm’s internal advisory council on building and maintaining relationships with policymakers around the world. These steps are confirmation of a wider and hitherto underreported trend of British politicians angling for jobs and British influence in American tech companies.
Strategic Role at OpenAI
As part of OpenAI’s initiative, Osborne’s role will be to deepen existing relationships and build new partnerships with governments. The initiative aims to place countries in a position where they can develop their AI infrastructures, but in parallel with democratic values.
“As managing director and head of OpenAI for Countries, based here in London,” – George Osborne
Human rights through OpenAI’s partnership to enable countries. They want to support the local governments that decide to develop their AI systems according to principles of democratic governance. By focusing on ethics, responsible use of AI in public engagement can begin to mitigate criticisms related to data privacy and algorithmic bias.
Chris Lehane, OpenAI’s chief global affairs officer, remarked on the broader implications of Osborne’s role, stating that it reflects a belief that AI is becoming critical infrastructure. He stressed that the way AI is built and governed, early decisions about that will really play an outsized role in determining future economics and geopolitics.
Advisory Role at Coinbase
Osborne has been tapped by radical cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase to lead its new internal advisory council. This position is dedicated to helping the cryptocurrency exchange stay ahead of, and adapt to, regulatory frameworks around the world. The rise of cryptocurrency has prompted increasing scrutiny from regulators across Europe, making this role vital for Coinbase as it seeks to maintain compliance while expanding its services.
Faryar Shirzad, Coinbase’s Chief Policy Officer, expressed confidence in Osborne’s capabilities, stating that he will “play a much more active role in helping us with policymakers around the world.” Given Osborne’s extensive background in public policy and finance, his insights are expected to be instrumental in shaping Coinbase’s strategies.
Osborne’s new dual appointments are particularly significant, since it’s common these days for former government officials to move in the opposite direction—into the employ of tech behemoths. This new trend hasn’t gone without notice from ethics watchdogs. They fear that these sorts of conflicts of interest still exist, and that foreign companies will still be given too much sway in our domestic policy.
A Pattern of Former Politicians in Tech
Osborne’s career trajectory closely parallels the other high-profile British politicians who have moved to American tech firms. He was editor of the Evening Standard from 2017-2020. Moreover, his current part-time advisory role at giant investment firm BlackRock has allowed him to make strategic contacts that can further the interests of both OpenAI and Coinbase.
After leaving public office in 2017, Osborne has expressed a desire to remain influential in global discussions surrounding technology and finance. He stated, “At the age of 45, I don’t want to spend the rest of my life just being an ex-chancellor.” This feeling speaks to his desire to stay active in continuing to develop policies that guide future technological innovation.
This is Osborne’s first term at these companies, and his appointments are attracting a great deal of publicity. This interest comes not only from his political history but from the ethical dilemmas they pose. As some have pointed out, hiring ex-government officials can pose a significant risk of hijacking regulations and policy-making processes.
