Jason Kwon, currently serving as the Chief Strategy Officer at OpenAI, transitioned from roles as a software engineer and product manager to pursue a career in law.
PERSONAL INFORMATION
Jason Kwon, born in Seoul, South Korea, relocated to the United States at the age of six, where he spent his formative years in Los Angeles, California. Jason Kwon is of Asian ethnicity and holds American nationality. He is married to Jennifer Kwon and together they have two children. His wife, a former product manager at Google and Facebook, currently serves as the co-founder and CEO of Mira, a startup specializing in personalized fertility care and insights. Jason himself finds enjoyment in activities like basketball, golf, and tennis, while also being an avid supporter of Los Angeles Lakers, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Los Angeles Rams games. Furthermore, he is deeply committed to advocating for causes and organizations that champion education, diversity, and social justice.
EDUCATION
Attending Georgetown University, Jason Kwon earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in Government and Economics in 2003. Following his undergraduate studies, Jason Kwon pursued law at the University of California, Berkeley, where he obtained his Juris Doctor degree in 2006.
CAREER
Jason Kwon actively participated as a member of both the Berkeley Technology Law Journal and the Berkeley Journal of International Law during his time at the University of California, Berkeley. Following his law school graduation, Jason embarked on a diverse career path, initially serving as a software engineer and product manager at various startups, including Zvents, a local search and event discovery platform, and Topsy, a social media analytics company subsequently acquired by Apple in 2013. Transitioning to the legal sector, he joined Goodwin Procter, a prominent law firm, as an associate attorney within the technology transactions group. In this role, he provided counsel to esteemed clients such as Reddit, Twilio, Westfield Labs, Blue Jeans Network, and Curse on a range of legal matters encompassing intellectual property, licensing, mergers and acquisitions, and venture capital financing.
In 2016, Kwon assumed the role of general counsel at U Combinator Continuity, the growth-stage investment division of Y Combinator, renowned as one of the world’s most influential startup accelerators. In this capacity, he took charge of managing the fund’s legal facets, including investments, portfolio oversight, and operational matters, while also offering strategic guidance to both the fund’s partners and its portfolio companies. Additionally, he played a pivotal role in the inception and administration of the YC Fellowship, a program aimed at supporting early-stage founders through funding and mentorship.
In 2019, Jason Kwon joined ZeroDown, a San Francisco-based startup revolutionizing home buying by eliminating the need for a down payment. Assuming the roles of general counsel and chief sales officer, he spearheaded the legal, sales, and customer success departments. Additionally, he played a pivotal role in securing over $100 million in funding from esteemed investors including Goodwater Capital, QED Investors, and Y Combinator.
In 2021, Jason assumed the role of general counsel at OpenAI, a renowned research organization co-founded by prominent tech entrepreneurs and investors. OpenAI is dedicated to ensuring that artificial intelligence aligns with human values and serves the betterment of humanity. Recognized for its groundbreaking AI innovations such as ChatGPT, a conversational agent capable of generating coherent text responses, and DALL-E, a generative model crafting images from textual descriptions. In his capacity as general counsel, Kwon oversees legal, policy, and governance aspects pertaining to OpenAI’s research, products, and partnerships. Furthermore, he provides strategic and ethical guidance to the organization’s leadership and board of directors.
In 2023, Jason was appointed as the Chief Strategy Officer at OpenAI, a newly established position reflecting his heightened responsibilities and impact within the organization. In this role, he leads the development and implementation of OpenAI’s vision, mission, and objectives. Additionally, he oversees the management of external relations and communications, with a focus on fostering the creation and promotion of safe, powerful, and beneficial AI accessible to all.
NET WORTH
Although Jason’s net worth and salary remain undisclosed to the public, given his notable career accomplishments and executive positions, it is reasonable to estimate that his net worth likely amounts to several million dollars.
