OpenAI's latest leadership hire isn't an engineer. It's child safety expert from Google

The next major hire at OpenAI is not an AI researcher or engineer. It is a child safety specialist with more than 15 years of experience protecting children across some of the world's largest technology platforms. 

John Buckley, formerly with The LEGO Group, Google, YouTube, Facebook and Instagram, has joined the company to lead child safety policy and support its work on youth wellbeing.

The appointment signals OpenAI's growing focus on how AI products are governed as millions of children and teenagers begin using generative AI tools.

A leadership role focused on child safety

Buckley joins OpenAI's Product Policy team after serving as Director and Head of Child Rights and Safety at The LEGO Group.

According to OpenAI Global Affairs, he will lead child safety policy while supporting broader initiatives around youth wellbeing and age-appropriate AI experiences.

In a LinkedIn post announcing his move, Buckley described AI as one of the most important areas for child protection today.

He said his work over the past 15 years has centred on three priorities:

• Building products with safety and wellbeing in mind.
• Responding effectively when harm occurs.
• Developing preventative systems to reduce future risks.

Buckley said generative AI presents new challenges because emerging technologies are often adopted early by both young people and those who seek to exploit them.

Experience spans LEGO, Google and YouTube

Buckley brings experience from both the technology sector and child protection organisations.

Before joining LEGO, he led child safety policy work at Google and oversaw child safety, YouTube Kids and livestream policy enforcement across Europe, the Middle East and Africa at YouTube.

Earlier in his career, he worked on investigations and policy relating to child sexual abuse, non-consensual intimate imagery and online safety at Facebook and Instagram.

His background also includes roles with SpunOut.ie, the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, Childline, and advisory work for the Irish Government on youth policy.

Building safeguards beyond AI models

Buckley said OpenAI's existing work on child safety influenced his decision to join the company.

He highlighted several initiatives already introduced by OpenAI, including:

• Child Safety Blueprint.
• Under 18 Principles within the Model Spec.
• Parental controls for linked teen accounts.
• Age-appropriate content protections.
• Trusted Contact, designed to connect users with real-world support during serious situations.

He said these programmes demonstrate an approach that combines technology with expert input from parents, policymakers, researchers and child safety advocates.

Another specialist joins the policy team

OpenAI also announced the appointment of Brian Fishman to the Product Policy team.

Fishman will focus on preventing the misuse of AI to facilitate violence and manipulate political systems.

Before joining OpenAI, he co-founded trust and safety technology company Cinder and previously served as Senior Director for Counterterrorism, Dangerous Organizations and Content Policy at Facebook, where he led programmes addressing terrorism and extremist organisations.

According to Fishman, his new role will involve working across policy, safety and investigations to reduce harmful uses of AI.

AI governance becomes a growing priority

The appointments come as AI companies face increasing scrutiny over how their products are used by children, teenagers and other vulnerable groups.

While much of the industry's recent attention has focused on building larger and more capable AI models, OpenAI's latest leadership appointments suggest governance, product policy and online safety are becoming equally important areas of investment.

By bringing together specialists in child protection, online safety, violence prevention and policy, the company is expanding its focus beyond model development to the systems designed to keep AI safe as adoption continues to grow.