Daniel Kokotajlo

Former researcher, OpenAI

Daniel Kokotajlo is a former OpenAI governance researcher who leads the AI Futures Project, the nonprofit behind the AI 2027 forecast. He has pushed for outside researchers and employees to be able to scrutinize AI labs.

Company: 1

Snapshot

Known for

Quitting OpenAI in April 2024 over its leadership, then arguing publicly for enforceable outside access to frontier systems.

Worth knowing

He refused to sign OpenAI's non-disparagement clause when he left, putting about $2 million of equity at risk; he later confirmed he kept his vested equity.
Time put him on its TIME100 AI list in 2024.
AI 2027 has two alternative endings, one with continued competition and one with a slowdown in AI development. Ali Farhadi, chief executive of the Allen Institute for Artificial Intelligence, criticized it as insufficiently grounded in scientific evidence.

Based: Berkeley, CA
Born: 1992

Latest on Daniel Kokotajlo

Featured · Model

Kokotajlo Wants AI Watchdogs That Don't Need an Invitation

On Joe Rogan's podcast, the former OpenAI researcher challenged voluntary oversight. The independent investigation at the center of his argument produced real findings, with real limits.

September 11, 2026 · 2 min read

Daniel Kokotajlo

Snapshot

Latest on Daniel Kokotajlo

Kokotajlo Wants AI Watchdogs That Don't Need an Invitation

Connections

At OpenAI

Snapshot

Latest on Daniel Kokotajlo

Kokotajlo Wants AI Watchdogs That Don't Need an Invitation

Connections

At OpenAI