OpenAI Taps Instacart CEO Fidji Simo As Chief Of Applications, Sam Altman To Focus On 'Research, Compute And Safety' Amid Superintelligence Push

OpenAI has appointed Instacart CEO Fidji Simo to the newly created role of CEO of Applications, reporting directly to Sam Altman as the artificial intelligence powerhouse restructures its leadership to prepare for future AI advancements.

What Happened: Altman announced the appointment on his X account on Wednesday, stating he will remain CEO of OpenAI but plans to increase “focus on research, compute and safety” which he described as “critical as we approach superintelligence.”

The leadership change comes as OpenAI continues rapid expansion following its ChatGPT success, with Altman expressing confidence that Simo will help scale the company “10x (or 100x, let’s see).”

Simo confirmed in her own X post that she will remain Instacart CEO “for the next few months” before transitioning to chair of the board. She expressed excitement about “contributing to its mission” at OpenAI, calling it “one of the most important and ambitious endeavors in history.”

Neither executive specified which applications would fall under Simo’s purview or when she would officially begin her new role.

Why It Matters: The appointment appears to align with OpenAI’s reported leadership restructuring plans. OpenAI was in talks to bring in a senior tech executive to oversee several divisions while Altman would continue leading the company’s research and infrastructure teams, critical units driving AI development.

This leadership change follows recent developments where OpenAI reportedly told investors it plans to decrease the share of revenue it allocates to Microsoft Corp. MSFT. This occurred after announcements that OpenAI’s nonprofit parent organization will maintain control of the company.

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