Fidji Simo Leaves OpenAI Executive Role, Cites Chronic Illness

Fidji Simo, OpenAI's chief product officer and CEO of applications, is stepping down from her executive role. She announced the decision on X on Thursday, saying she will shift to an advisory position after a medical leave. Simo cited a chronic illness as the reason for the departure. She did not specify the condition but said the decision followed a period of leave.

Simo joined OpenAI in 2022 after a decade at Meta, where she ran the Facebook app. At OpenAI she oversaw the consumer product suite, including the ChatGPT interface and the company's API platform. Her departure removes one of the company's most senior product leaders from day-to-day operations.

The exit follows a string of high-profile departures at OpenAI. Co-founder Ilya Sutskever left in May. Chief technology officer Mira Murati stepped down in September. Co-founder John Schulman moved to Anthropic in August. The company has been reorganizing its product leadership over the past several months.

OpenAI is in the middle of a fundraising round that could value the company at $150 billion or more. Investors have been watching the executive team closely, given the rapid growth and the technical complexity of the products.

With Simo gone, the product organization will report directly to CEO Sam Altman, according to a person familiar with the matter. Altman has taken a more hands-on role in product decisions since Murati's exit.

Simo's advisory role will focus on helping OpenAI with the transition to a for-profit structure. The company is in talks to convert its nonprofit governance to a for-profit benefit corporation, a move that has drawn criticism from some former employees and safety advocates.

Simo wrote that the decision was not an easy one, calling it the right move for her health and her family.