At the OpenAI Forum’s “Biodefense in the AI Age” discussion, speakers explored how AI could help detect biological threats earlier, understand them faster, and accelerate the development of treatments and other defenses. A central message was that scientific progress alone will not make communities safer: safeguards need funding alongside new tools, and those tools must be developed with the state and local public health teams expected to use them. Panelists called for treating biological data as a strategic asset, connecting fragmented research and response systems, and strengthening defenses through measures such as gene-synthesis screening and cleaner indoor air. The discussion also underscored Washington’s role in sustaining investment, clarifying responsibility across agencies, and helping promising research become reliable, deployable capabilities. The prospect of designing treatments that protect against entire viral families offered a hopeful glimpse of what AI could make possible, provided the infrastructure, partnerships, and preparedness are built before the next crisis.

With 23 sports teams represented, 2 panels, 5 customer Ignite presentations, 10 discussion leaders, and 30+ cross-functional contributors, the OpenAI Forum’s Game Changers Summit brought together sports leaders, athletes, researchers, and technologists to explore how AI is shaping the future of sports. Conversations examined how teams can build stronger fan connections, empower employees to experiment with AI, and create more personalized experiences beyond game day. An athlete-health panel explored AI’s potential to support individualized training, recovery, and long-term health, emphasizing human expertise and responsible data use. Customer presentations from the Miami Marlins, NASCAR, Gotham FC, Como 1907, and Spurs Sports & Entertainment showcased practical applications across daily reporting, sponsorship prospecting, fan feedback, player recruitment, and content creation. Across the program, a central theme emerged: AI can help people work more effectively and creatively while preserving the judgment, relationships, and shared experiences that make sports meaningful.

Charlie Camosy joins Chris Nicholson to discuss AI and human dignity from a Catholic perspective. He cautions against treating people as machines or AI as people, arguing that these comparisons can distort how we value human life and deepen social isolation. Drawing on Magnifica Humanitas, he also explores how communities with different perspectives can help shape the use of AI and other technologies in ways that respect human dignity. The conversation considers care for vulnerable people and technology’s role in relieving suffering.

Physicist and OpenAI researcher Ven Chandrasekaran discusses how he uses Codex for theoretical physics research, using his work on the black hole information paradox as an example. In conversation with Chris Nicholson, he explains when he intervenes, how he uses skills and parallel agents, and why researchers still need to choose the questions and judge the results. For more on Ven's work, see his paper "Smooth horizons from topology change in canonical quantum gravity": https://arxiv.org/pdf/2606.06404 Have a question about how to use science with Codex? Let us know here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeLgLaQsXhAW2adPZQBFu_Hfm5dsMqOEvTCgwUmUnaViquC8A/viewform We'll try to answer questions from the community in a regular series of blog posts.

In this Forum conversation, our panel explored how local newsrooms can use AI to reduce repetitive work, strengthen original reporting, and better serve their communities while preserving human judgment. CalMatters shared how its Digital Democracy platform turns legislative data into reporting leads and personalized newsletters that help readers engage with their elected representatives. The San Francisco Standard described using AI for investigative document review, audience analytics, and app features such as personalization, audio, and mapped stories, with leaders modeling practical uses to encourage adoption. The LA Local highlighted translation and synthesizing community questions, while emphasizing transparency, source protection, and human review, particularly when serving vulnerable communities.

The discussion explored how AI can strengthen cyber resilience and protect essential services in democracies facing persistent attacks. Sasha Baker announced OpenAI’s new partnership with Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation to provide Ukrainian critical infrastructure teams with cyber defense tools, training, and technical support. Dmytro Kushneruk described Ukraine’s experience keeping public services running under Russian cyber and physical attacks, emphasizing AI’s potential to help defenders identify vulnerabilities and respond faster. Andy Baker highlighted AI’s broader opportunities and the importance of U.S. leadership, while Naz Durakoğlu emphasized bipartisan support for protecting critical infrastructure and building trusted relationships between government and technology companies. The panel underscored the importance of equipping frontline defenders, establishing partnerships before crises occur, and applying lessons from Ukraine to strengthen resilience elsewhere. OpenAI extends cyber access to Ukraine for civilian defense blog post here: https://openai.com/index/openai-extends-cyber-access-to-ukraine-for-civilian-defense/

Jack Stubbs and Emily Hadley from OpenAI’s Intelligence & Investigations team join Chris Nicholson to discuss how people use ChatGPT to spot scams. They explain how scammers create urgency and how sharing a suspicious message or describing a situation can help people identify warning signs and decide what to do next. They also discuss their estimate of more than 130 million scam-checking requests each week and why ChatGPT should be treated as a second opinion.

Two Blind Brothers co-founders Bryan and Bradford Manning discuss how ChatGPT helps them work and live more independently as people with low vision. They share how they use it to take on tasks that previously required help, including reviewing documents and building a website. They also discuss why voice features matter and what could make AI more accessible.