From Progressive Firebrands to AI Strategists: The 'Gravel Teens' Join OpenAI
August 29, 2026
Based on reporting from CNN → — simplified & explained by VAIIYA.
David Oks and Henry Williams first captured national attention during the 2020 U.S. presidential campaign. As teenagers, the duo took control of former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel’s social media accounts, launching a viral anti-establishment campaign that targeted runaway corporate power and economic inequality. Seven years later, the pair has taken on a dramatically different role inside Silicon Valley.
Williams and Oks recently announced that they have joined OpenAI’s Strategic Futures team. The artificial intelligence developer, now valued at over $850 billion, created the group to analyze the long-term political economy and theoretical impacts of advanced AI and potential superintelligence.
A Shift Across the Political Spectrum
At OpenAI, Williams and Oks report to Dean W. Ball, a veteran of conservative think tanks and former AI policy adviser in the Trump administration. Ball praised the pair’s analytical and writing abilities, noting that his hiring strategy prioritizes capability over political alignment.
The move marks the culmination of a multi-year pivot for the former activists. After Gravel’s presidential bid ended, Oks and Williams founded the Gravel Institute, a progressive media venture intended to counter conservative educational channels. However, the institute abruptly laid off its staff in 2022 and quieted operations shortly thereafter.
Following their time at the institute, both men built careers in traditional finance and tech circles. After completing degrees at Oxford and Columbia, respectively, their pathways included work at hedge funds, policy journalism, and the influential venture capital firm Andreessen Horowitz.
Reframing Their Mission
The career shift has drawn scrutiny from former colleagues who view their trajectory as an embrace of institutional tech power. Addressing questions regarding their shift in focus, Oks and Williams stated in a joint response that mitigating the risks of misaligned advanced AI and ensuring its broad benefit represents the most valuable work they can currently undertake.
Their hiring reflects a broader recruitment trend across leading AI laboratories, which are increasingly hiring ethicists, political theorists, and writers alongside computer scientists to navigate the societal implications of their technology.