OpenAI’s search for a chief communications officer hits 9 months after a top candidate turned down the role

"After nearly five years at OpenAI and a lot of reflection, I've decided it's time for me to step back and move into my next chapter," said OpenAI's former chief communications officer (CCO) Hannah Wong in a January 2026 LinkedIn post announcing her departure. That was nine months ago—practically a lifetime in the fast-moving AI world—and Wong's role remains empty. The absence of a chief communications officer is particularly remarkable given the year OpenAI has had. For much of 2026, the company has lurched from crisis to crisis: A controversial deal with the Pentagon, a high-stakes courtroom showdown with Elon Musk, a swarm of agents that hacked Hugging Face and made international headlines, an Apple lawsuit alleging trade-secrets theft, and more.