PeopleofSuperintelligence

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Paul Nakasone

Also known as Paul M. Nakasone, Paul Miki Nakasone

Paul Nakasone is a retired United States Army general and former director of the National Security Agency who serves on the board of OpenAI. Born in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, he was commissioned as a military intelligence officer in 1986, took command of Army Cyber Command in October 2016, and led the NSA and Cyber Command from 2018 until his retirement in February 2024. In September 2023, he announced the NSA's Artificial Intelligence Security Center. Vanderbilt University named him founding director of its Institute of National Security in May 2024, and OpenAI added him to its board and Safety and Security Committee in June 2024. He is founding director of the Vanderbilt institute, and since August 2026 he is also founder and chairman of the advisory firm Nakasone Group.

Now at
Vanderbilt University, OpenAI and Nakasone Group
Works
5
Badges

Publication numbers from OpenAlex, as of 22 October 2026. Citations and h-index are hidden because this OpenAlex record may be incomplete or mix in other authors.

Timeline

  1. 1986

    Army intelligence commission

    Born in White Bear Lake, Minnesota, he receives a commission as a military intelligence officer in 1986 through the Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps program at Saint John's University.

  2. October 2016

    Commanding Army Cyber Command

    In October 2016, he takes command of the United States Second Army and Army Cyber Command, and he continues to lead Army Cyber Command after the Second Army's inactivation in March 2017.

  3. 2018–2024

    Heading the NSA and Cyber Command

    The Senate unanimously confirms him as director of the National Security Agency and head of U.S. Cyber Command in April 2018, and he is promoted to general. He leads both organizations until his retirement in February 2024.

  4. September 2023

    An AI Security Center at NSA

    In September 2023, as NSA director, he announces an Artificial Intelligence Security Center inside the agency's Cybersecurity Collaboration Center. The center is meant to promote the secure development, integration and adoption of AI in national security systems and the defense industrial base.

  5. May 2024

    Vanderbilt's Institute of National Security

    In May 2024, Vanderbilt names him founding director of its Institute of National Security, with an appointment as Distinguished Research Professor of Engineering Science and Management in the School of Engineering. The institute opens in September 2024 with him as its first director.

  6. June 2024

    Joining the OpenAI board

    In June 2024, OpenAI appoints him to its board of directors and places him on the board's Safety and Security Committee. OpenAI says his insights will help it understand how AI can strengthen cybersecurity by quickly detecting and responding to threats.

  7. 2024–2025

    On OpenAI's safety committee

    In September 2024, he serves on OpenAI's board and on its Safety and Security Committee, which CEO Sam Altman has left. In 2025, he is one of the committee's four members, under chair Zico Kolter, and the panel has authority to halt releases of AI systems it finds unsafe.

  8. Since August 2026

    Founding the Nakasone Group

    In August 2026, he announces the Nakasone Group, a boutique national security advisory firm where he is founder and chairman and Brett Goldstein is chief executive. He is also founding director of Vanderbilt's Institute of National Security and a member of the OpenAI board.

Career

  1. Since 2026Nakasone GroupFounder and chairman
  2. Since 2024Vanderbilt UniversityFounding director
  3. Since 2024OpenAIBoard member, Safety and Security Committee member
  4. 1986–2024United States Department of DefenseMilitary intelligence officer, Commander

From the biography.

  1. 22 of 133 people shaping AI with a former OpenAI role now work at AnthropicIncludes Paul Nakasone. Our estimates of where OpenAI recruits came from and where 133 people with former OpenAI roles work now, including the companies and labs they founded.
  2. Direct Form 990 pay in the latest returns of 39 nonprofits with AI people on this site is highest at $2.1M at the Allen Institute for AI (Ai2) (2024)Includes Paul Nakasone. IRS Form 990 compensation across 39 nonprofits with AI people on this site from 2012 to 2025: in the latest returns, Mozilla reports $6.1M including related-company pay (2024) and the Allen Institute for AI (Ai2) leads direct nonprofit pay at $2.1M (2024).
  3. Among employers with 30+ full-time cases, OpenAI leads primary technical role H-1B pay at $310,000, and Amazon, Google and Microsoft file 57% of all casesIncludes OpenAI. Across 440,669 certified US H-1B filings from 44 employers (FY2020–FY2026), OpenAI leads primary technical role base pay at $310,000 and xAI leads overall base pay at $290,000.
  4. The median h-index is 48 at universities and 14 at frontier AI labsIncludes OpenAI. The median h-index is 48 at universities and 14 at frontier AI labs. We compare publishing careers, recent citations, dual appointments and job moves across 2,420 university researchers and 308 frontier-lab researchers.

Colleagues

People named in this biography, and people with dated positions at the same organization in the same years.

Sources and credits

Photo: We have no published photo of Paul Nakasone yet. Send us a free-licensed photo.

  1. Paul Nakasone - Wikipedia en.wikipedia.org. Checked 20 October 2026.
  2. Former NSA Director Paul Nakasone Launches National Security Advisory Firm - SecurityWeek securityweek.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  3. NSA opening AI Security Center | DefenseScoop defensescoop.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  4. NSA starts AI security center with eye on China, Russia | Fortune fortune.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  5. Retired General Paul Nakasone named founding director of Institute of National Security | News | Vanderbilt University news.vanderbilt.edu. Checked 20 October 2026.
  6. Nakasone on his new gig at Vanderbilt, deliberations at OpenAI, and nation-state threats | The Record from Recorded Future News therecord.media. Checked 20 October 2026.
  7. Former NSA head joins OpenAI board and safety committee | TechCrunch techcrunch.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  8. Former NSA Director General Paul Nakasone Joins OpenAI's Board and Safety Committee maginative.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  9. Who is Zico Kolter? A Professor Leads OpenAI Safety Panel With Power to Halt Unsafe AI Releases - SecurityWeek securityweek.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  10. VU INS Founding Director Nakasone also building-out national security advisory practice - Venture Nashville venturenashville.com. Checked 20 October 2026.
  11. Water system controllers don't belong on the internet, says ex-NSA chief after suspected Iran attacks theregister.com. Checked 20 October 2026.