Brad Lightcap Redefines the COO Role as He Leads OpenAI’s Global Expansion

From operations to strategy and AI infrastructure, OpenAI’s COO takes center stage in shaping the company’s future.

In a recent announcement made, OpenAI has stated that it has expanded the role of its Chief Operating Officer, Brad Lightcap, to lead the company’s global growth, strategy, and infrastructure development. The announcement, made by CEO Sam Altman, marks a turning point for the Microsoft-backed AI powerhouse as it pushes deeper into international markets and high-stakes partnerships.

Lightcap, who joined OpenAI in 2018 and previously worked with Altman at Y Combinator, will now oversee international expansion, business strategy, global partnerships, infrastructure, and operational excellence. His promotion signals that today’s COOs are not just managing people—they’re shaping the very future of business.

Altman said Lightcap’s expanded role would allow him to concentrate more on the technical side of operations, particularly research and product innovation. One of Lightcap’s key tasks includes driving forward OpenAI’s $500-billion Stargate project, a massive partnership with SoftBank Group and Oracle aimed at building a global data center network to support AI workloads at scale.

The company is also realigning leadership on the technical front. Mark Chen, OpenAI’s Chief Research Officer, will now integrate research and product development—a move that aligns innovation more closely with commercialization.