OpenAI’s Chief Executive of AGI Deployment, Fidji Simo, is stepping down from her full-time role at the company, shifting to a part-time advisory position after a lengthy medical leave due to a severe neuroimmune condition.
In a recent post on X, Simo shared her journey, detailing that three months prior, she had to take medical leave due to a significant exacerbation of a chronic illness she has battled for seven years. She emphasized the challenges ahead in her recovery and the necessity to prioritize her health.
Simo joined OpenAI’s board in March 2024 and was later appointed to lead the product and business divisions, allowing CEO Sam Altman to focus on research and infrastructure. Her background includes serving as the CEO of Instacart and overseeing the Facebook app at Meta.
Prior to her time at OpenAI, Simo’s health issues took a toll, with a diagnosis of postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) in 2019. In a memo to the OpenAI staff back in April, she acknowledged postponing medical tests and new treatments to maintain her work commitments but recognized the need to reassess her priorities for her health.
This announcement coincides with a broader executive reshuffle at OpenAI, which included former COO Brad Lightcap transitioning to oversee special projects. OpenAI’s president and cofounder, Greg Brockman, subsequently took charge of the company’s product strategy. In the wake of Simo’s departure, OpenAI has reorganized its product teams and appointed Thibault Sottiaux as head of core products, including ChatGPT.
As OpenAI gears up for a planned initial public offering by 2027, it is concentrating on a few core products, merging teams focused on ChatGPT, its AI-powered browser, and its coding agent to develop a "superapp." It is also reducing investments in less critical ventures.
On the same day of Simo’s announcement, OpenAI revealed the most significant update to ChatGPT since its launch, enhancing the AI to perform user tasks such as managing local files and coding, thereby expanding the functionality available to users.
