OpenAI Executive Fidji Simo to Step Down After Medical Leave

OpenAI’s Fidji Simo, who oversaw much of the AI startup’s core business, is stepping down from her full-time role following a three-month medical leave and will hand her responsibilities to three other top executives.

Simo was hired a little over a year ago and has been on leave since April due to an ongoing neuroimmune condition. Simo will shift to being a part-time adviser to OpenAI, she wrote Thursday in a post on X.

“Three months ago, I had to go on medical leave after a severe exacerbation of a chronic illness I’ve lived with for seven years,” Simo wrote. “During that time, it became clear that the road to recovery would be much longer and more complex than I had anticipated — and that I needed to focus on it fully.”

Simo, a former chief executive officer of Instacart and top executive at Meta Platforms Inc., was responsible for OpenAI’s efforts to mature its business model in the run-up to a potential initial public offering. In the past year, OpenAI has faced increased competition, particularly from rival Anthropic PBC, in areas such as coding agents. OpenAI filed for a public listing last month, and was last valued at $852 billion in a fundraising round in March.

In an internal memo to staff viewed by Bloomberg News, Simo said her product and business responsibilities will be split between OpenAI President Greg Brockman, Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar and Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon. The executive added that she will continue to advise on OpenAI’s consumer product, ads and health products.

Simo joined OpenAI’s board in early 2024, when a series of new directors were installed after the brief ousting and return of co-founder Sam Altman as CEO in November 2023.

“I am really sad about this and very grateful for all Fidji has done for OpenAI,” Altman wrote in his own post on X.