SAN FRANCISCO, CA — The Center for AI Safety (CAIS), a leading nonprofit focused on reducing societal-scale risks from artificial intelligence, today announced that Josué Estrada has joined the organization as its new Chief Operating Officer.
A seasoned leader in philanthropy and technology, Estrada will guide CAIS’s organizational strategy and operations as the nonprofit scales its work in research, policy, and field-building. He will also spearhead a new effort to deepen long-term philanthropic partnerships and catalyze investment in AI safety from both institutional funders and individuals in tech and beyond.
“With AI developments outpacing governance and public understanding, we urgently need to build resources and solutions that match the scale of the risk and take advantage of the opportunity,” Estrada said. “Philanthropy can shape the future of AI by doing what it does best: strengthening the public interest, filling critical funding gaps, and working alongside government and industry to ensure AI serves everyone.”
Estrada comes to CAIS with a rare cross-sector background in philanthropy, operations, and civic leadership. He was most recently Chief Operating Officer at the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative, where he led organizational operations and advised the co-founders on strategy. Prior to that, he served as Executive Vice President and COO at Salesforce.org, overseeing global strategy, partnerships, and go-to-market planning, while also serving as executive sponsor of Latinoforce, the company’s Hispanic employee group. He previously held leadership roles at Gap Inc., DHL, and Procter & Gamble, with international experience across Latin America and Europe. Estrada holds an MBA from the University of Manchester, speaks five languages, and serves on the boards of the YMCA of San Francisco, the We Are All Human Foundation, and the San Francisco School.
At CAIS, Estrada will focus on translating world-class research into sustained impact, ensuring it is backed by the operational infrastructure, funding partnerships, and field-wide momentum required to shape the future of safe, ethical AI.
“The risks from AI are growing faster than our collective capacity to manage them. Josué has a track record of building operational teams and his leadership will be important as CAIS grows.” CAIS Executive Director Dan Hendrycks said.
Estrada’s appointment comes as CAIS is expanding its presence across multiple fronts:
Groundbreaking research into AI systems’ utility functions, tendencies to be honest or deceptive, and nation-states’ Superintelligence Strategy.Flagship communications platforms like AI FrontiersGrowing alliances with policymakers, scientists, and civic institutionsA renewed focus on growing the community of people involved in the AI safety conversation: policymakers, technologists, and the general public
As COO, Estrada will also help elevate public understanding of philanthropy’s role in AI safety, and build new bridges between technical communities and mission-driven funders.
“We’re at a crossroads,” Estrada said. “The choices we make today about AI will shape our families’ safety, our jobs, and our way of life for generations.”
About CAIS
Center for AI Safety is a San Francisco-based nonprofit conducting research and advocacy to reduce societal-scale risks from advanced artificial intelligence. Through technical research, policy advising, and public engagement, CAIS works to ensure AI is developed safely and aligned with human values.
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