Sam Altman, the visionary CEO of OpenAI and one of the most influential figures in artificial intelligence, is set to deliver the opening keynote at the 2025 Vanderbilt Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats. His highly anticipated address will take place on the morning of April 10, 2025, at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Vanderbilt Summit, now in its fourth year, is renowned for convening global thought leaders, policymakers, and experts from a diverse array of fields to explore the evolving landscape of modern conflict and the cutting-edge technologies shaping global security. This year’s summit, themed AI and the Future of National Security: Emerging Threats, Challenges, Opportunities, will feature thought-provoking panel discussions and insights from distinguished experts exploring the evolving landscape of global national security.
This year’s event also marks a significant milestone as it falls under the newly established Vanderbilt Institute of National Security, which launched in September 2024. The Institute is led by General (Ret.) Paul M. Nakasone, former Director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and Commander of U.S. Cyber Command.
Sam Altman is the co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, the AI research and deployment company behind ChatGPT and Sora. Before co-founding OpenAI in 2015 with the mission to build general-purpose artificial intelligence that benefits all humanity, Sam served as president of the early-stage startup accelerator Y Combinator from 2014 to 2019. Under his leadership, OpenAI has developed transformative technologies that are reshaping industries and global innovation.
“Sam Altman’s work sits at the heart of the intersection between AI and security, making him an ideal speaker for this year’s summit,” said General (Ret.) Paul M. Nakasone, founding director of the Vanderbilt Institute of National Security and a member of OpenAI’s Board of Directors. “The launch of the Institute is a pivotal step in anchoring Vanderbilt’s commitment to addressing the challenges and opportunities presented by AI and emerging threats. What began with the Summit has now grown into a dynamic platform evolving alongside the speed and complexity of modern conflict and innovation.”
The 2025 Vanderbilt Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats will run from April 10–11. Topics to be explored include Biomedicine and AI, the Changing Character of Conflict, Rethinking Cybersecurity and AI, and A Vision for an AI-Driven Future. These sessions will provide attendees with insights into how emerging technologies are transforming national security and global conflict.
Altman’s keynote sets the stage for what promises to be an impactful event, fostering collaboration and dialogue on some of the most pressing issues of our time.
For more information, visit the 2025 Summit on Modern Conflict and Emerging Threats programming page.