Joseph Larson, vice president and head of government at OpenAI, has received the 2026 Wash100 Award in recognition of his leadership in advancing the responsible adoption of artificial intelligence to support national security priorities and enhance mission effectiveness across the federal government.
Jim Garrettson, CEO of Executive Mosaic and founder of the Wash100 Award, personally presented the honor to Larson during the 2026 GovCon Executive Leadership Summit on Feb. 26. Larson was one of the keynote speakers at the premier GovCon event.
“Joseph’s first Wash100 Award reflects the growing impact of his leadership at the intersection of advanced AI and government mission delivery. At OpenAI, Joseph has played a key role in helping federal leaders responsibly adopt cutting-edge artificial intelligence to strengthen national security, improve operational efficiency and support public-sector innovation,” said Garrettson.
“Joseph’s skill at bridging emerging technology with real-world government needs has influenced how agencies think about AI deployment, governance and trust. This Wash100 honor highlights Joseph’s forward-looking leadership and the important role he continues to play in shaping the future of GovCon and federal technology,” Garrettson added.
Why Did Joseph Larson Win the 2026 Wash100 Award?
Larson earned his first Wash100 Award for championing responsible AI use, underscoring the importance of forging strong partnerships to accelerate government adoption of AI, particularly in tackling challenges related to infrastructure, data and security.
During Larson’s tenure, OpenAI further strengthened its position in the federal sector through deeper engagement with government partners and the pursuit of significant agreements. Among them was a $38 billion deal with Amazon Web Services to support and scale the company’s AI workloads on AWS infrastructure. OpenAI also partnered with Leidos to integrate generative and agentic AI tools into federal workflows, helping agencies transition from experimentation to operational use.
To further advance federal adoption, the company launched ChatGPT Gov and OpenAI for Government in 2025, followed by an initiative with the General Services Administration to offer ChatGPT Enterprise access across the executive branch for $1 per agency for one year.
Who Is Joseph Larson?
Larson has been vice president and head of government at OpenAI since joining the company in July 2025. The national security and technology leader leverages his experience in AI, defense innovation and public service to manage OpenAI’s public sector partnerships.
He previously served as senior vice president of national security operations at Anduril and deputy chief digital and AI officer for algorithmic warfare at the Office of the Secretary of Defense. A Marine Corps Reserve officer with over two decades of service, Larson has also held roles at Tulco Labs, Anduril industries and Palantir Technologies.
What Is the Wash100 Award?
Since its launch in 2014, the Wash100 Award has honored the 100 most influential leaders across the government contracting sector. Recipients are chosen annually through a rigorous selection process that evaluates their leadership, innovation, vision and impact on the GovCon community over the past year, along with their ability to help shape the future of the federal mission.
Executive Mosaic congratulates Joseph Larson and the entire OpenAI team on this latest Wash100 honor.
Voting is now open for the 2026 Wash100 Popular Vote contest. Support Joseph Larson and make your voice count by casting your vote at Wash100.com.
