About the Talk:

In this Forum session, OpenAI’s VP of Science Kevin Weil and Brian Spears, Director of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s AI Innovation Incubator (AI3), will explore how advanced AI systems are beginning to make direct, measurable contributions to scientific research.

The discussion will highlight the OpenAI–LLNL partnership and what it looks like when frontier reasoning models are embedded in real scientific workflows—from accelerating hypothesis generation and analyzing complex datasets to uncovering connections that were previously out of reach. Weil will share the vision behind OpenAI for Science, including the ambition to “compress 25 years of scientific progress into 5,” by giving researchers powerful new instruments for discovery. Spears will offer the lab-level perspective on how AI is already expanding the pace, scale, and ambition of work across fields like energy, materials science, and high-performance computing.

By bringing frontier AI into some of the nation’s most capable—and most secure—research institutions, OpenAI and the national labs are working together to build a more rapid, reliable, and resilient model for turning scientific insight into real-world impact.

About the Speakers:

Kevin Weil, VP, OpenAI for Science @ OpenAI

Kevin Weil is the VP, OpenAI for Science, previously Chief Product Officer at OpenAI, where he leads the development and application of cutting-edge AI research into products and services that empower consumers, developers, and businesses. With a wealth of experience in scaling technology products, Kevin brings a deep understanding of both consumer and enterprise needs in the AI space. Prior to joining OpenAI, he was the Head of Product at Instagram, leading consumer and monetization efforts that contributed to the platform's global expansion and success. Kevin's experience also includes a pivotal role at Twitter, where he served as Senior Vice President of Product. He played a key part in shaping the platform’s core consumer experience and advertising products, while also overseeing development for Vine and Periscope. During his tenure at Twitter, he led the creation of the company’s advertising platform and the development of Fabric, a mobile development suite. Kevin holds a B.A. in Mathematics and Physics from Harvard University, graduating summa cum laude, and an M.S. in Physics from Stanford University. He is also a dedicated advocate for environmental conservation, serving on the board of The Nature Conservancy.

Brian Spears, Director of Artificial Intelligence (AI) @ Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL)

Brian Spears is the director of Artificial Intelligence (AI) efforts at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL). He is responsible for setting vision for development and deployment of AI methods for national security missions while driving LLNL excellence in AI for science. He is a principal architect of Cognitive Simulation – artificial intelligence (AI) methods that combine high-performance simulation and precision experiments to improve scientific prediction. He is also leads the LLNL AI Innovation Incubator, AI3, which develops strong public-private partnerships on collaborative research projects to advance scientific AI in the national interest.

Brian served as the Deputy for Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) Modeling where he guided the scientific simulation half of the ICF program at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) through its historic achievement of nuclear fusion ignition. His team used novel AI methods to predict fusion ignition for the first time in history. In his personal research, he applies cognitive simulation techniques to stockpile stewardship missions with emphasis on quantifying uncertainty in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments and developing a new generation of self-driving laboratory systems.

He received the LLNL Mid-Career Recognition for career achievements in research. He is the recipient of two Secretary of Energy Achievement Awards, multiple National Nuclear Security Administration Defense Programs Awards of Excellence, the Hyperion HPC Innovation Award, and the HPC Wire Editors’ Choice Award for Best Use of High-Performance Computing in Energy. Brian completed his PhD at the University of California, Berkeley where he was a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate Fellow and studied topological methods for high-dimensional dynamical systems. He also holds a BS in mechanical engineering and a BA in liberal arts from the University of Texas at Austin. When not doing science, he can be found racing his bike or chauffeuring his two children to swim practice.