OpenAI hires ex-Army Secretary and Uber exec to expand defence and enterprise AI

Driscoll to lead OpenAI’s national security push

OpenAI has named Dan Driscoll, the former 26th Secretary of the US Army, as its first senior counselor for national security modernization. Driscoll, who resigned from the Pentagon in September 2026 after disagreements with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, will advise OpenAI on deploying AI for national and cyber security, focusing on responsible use by US allies.

Why OpenAI chose a Pentagon insider

Driscoll’s appointment follows OpenAI’s agreement in February 2026 to deploy its models on the Defense Department’s classified network. This move filled a gap left when the Pentagon classified rival Anthropic as a "supply chain risk" after CEO Dario Amodei refused to relax restrictions on mass surveillance and autonomous weapons.

The hire also strengthens OpenAI’s ties with Capitol Hill, as Driscoll is a close ally of Vice President JD Vance and maintains bipartisan relationships in Congress. This could prove critical if power shifts occur after the midterm elections.

Tensions at the Pentagon and OpenAI’s advantage

Driscoll’s departure from the Pentagon was not amicable. Reports indicate months of tension with Hegseth, including disputes over military modernization initiatives and the firing of Army Chief of Staff Randy George, contributed to his resignation. Despite this, his experience with Project ARIA, an Army AI modernization effort, aligns with OpenAI’s goals for defence and cyber resilience.

The Wall Street Journal and The Decoder note that Driscoll’s hire signals OpenAI’s intent to secure more government contracts and shape AI policy for military and intelligence agencies.

Hazelbaker joins to lead communications and public trust

In a parallel move, OpenAI has hired Jill Hazelbaker, Uber’s former president and longtime communications leader, as its chief corporate affairs officer. Hazelbaker will oversee global communications, corporate positioning, and public trust initiatives, reporting directly to co-founder and president Greg Brockman. Her start date is early December.

A new role for a seasoned operator

Hazelbaker’s role extends beyond traditional communications. It includes reputation management, social media, partnerships, and initiatives to build public trust in AI. OpenAI’s previous chief communications officer, Hannah Wong, left in January, and Chris Lehane has led the team since.

Hazelbaker initially turned down the role when it was offered in the spring but later accepted. Her appointment follows a series of executive departures from Uber this year, including her own.

Wu’s move to bolster OpenAI’s enterprise AI tools

OpenAI has also recruited Catherine Wu, a key product leader behind Anthropic’s Claude Code, to strengthen its Codex offering. Wu’s move, confirmed via a post on X, comes as OpenAI seeks to regain ground in the enterprise market, where Claude Code has gained traction.

Wu’s experience with Claude Code, which she helped scale from an internal experiment to a widely adopted tool, will be critical as OpenAI expands Codex beyond software development to broader professional use cases. She joins Nick Turley’s enterprise products team and reports to Tibo Sottiaux.

Enterprise revenue surge and IPO timeline

OpenAI’s enterprise revenue grew by 70% quarterly in its annualized revenue by Q3 2026, now accounting for the majority of its total revenue—up from 30% earlier in the year. This shift follows early struggles in agentic coding, where Anthropic’s Claude Code outpaced OpenAI’s Codex.

President Greg Brockman stated the company could be IPO-ready by 2027, citing progress in enterprise adoption. Partnerships like the one with J.P. Morgan Chase reflect this momentum.

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