OpenAI is reportedly considering restructuring into a for-profit business, while keeping its non-profit arm separate. The move, disclosed by an anonymous source, aims to simplify the company’s structure for investors and provide greater liquidity for employees.
This development coincides with the departure of several key executives, including Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Mira Murati, who announced her exit after six and a half years at the company. Murati explained in a memo, which she also posted on social media platform X, that she is stepping away to pursue personal projects, emphasizing her commitment to a smooth transition.
Two More Execs Exit OpenAI
Following Murati’s announcement, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed that two other top executives, research chief Bob McGrew and research vice president Barret Zoph, are also leaving. Altman stated that their decisions were independent but aligned with the timing of Murati’s departure, allowing for a unified leadership handover.
This marks another wave of significant talent loss for OpenAI, which has seen a series of executive exits in recent months, including co-founder Ilya Sutskever and former safety leader Jan Leike in May, and co-founder John Schulman last month, who joined rival AI company Anthropic.
OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, is in the midst of a fundraising round that could value the company at over $150 billion, with investors like Thrive Capital expected to lead the round with a $1 billion investment. Other investors, including Tiger Global, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Apple, are reportedly also in discussions to participate.
Murati Briefly Leads OpenAI
Murati gained attention last November when she was briefly named interim CEO following the abrupt ousting of Altman by OpenAI’s board. Altman was reinstated within days after widespread backlash, including an open letter from nearly all of the company’s employees threatening to leave in response to the board’s decision. Murati resumed her role as CTO after Altman’s return. Her tenure included controversial remarks made at a Wall Street Journal event in June, where she suggested that AI tools could lead to the disappearance of some creative jobs, questioning the quality of certain types of creative content.
McGrew, who joined OpenAI in 2017, noted in his departure post that the company has grown from a “small non-profit” into a leading AI research and deployment firm. Mark Chen will take over as head of research. Zoph, in a separate post, described his departure as a “natural point” to explore new opportunities, expressing confidence in the leadership of OpenAI’s post-training team.
Featured Image courtesy of PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images
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