OpenAI has experienced significant leadership changes as Bob McGrew, the chief research officer, and Barret Zoph, a research vice president, have departed from the company just hours after CTO Mira Murati announced her own resignation. CEO Sam Altman shared the news of these resignations in a post on X, outlining the transition plans for the organization.
Altman stated that the three executives made their decisions independently and amicably. He indicated that the timing of Murati’s announcement prompted a simultaneous transition to ensure a smooth handover to the next generation of leadership.
Mark Chen has been promoted to senior vice president of research and will oversee the research organization alongside Jakub Pachocki, who will serve as chief scientist. Additionally, Matt Knight, previously the head of security, is now the chief information security officer. Kevin Weil, the chief product officer, and Srinivas Narayanan, the vice president of engineering, will continue to oversee OpenAI’s applied team, which focuses on implementing the company’s technology for enterprise and consumer clients.
Josh Achiam, a research scientist, will assume the new position of head of mission alignment, ensuring that the company’s culture and structure align with its goals. Altman emphasized that the newly appointed leaders will report directly to him and expressed his intention to engage more with the technical aspects of the company moving forward.
In his announcement, Altman aimed to reassure both staff and outside observers that these leadership changes are a natural part of organizational growth, despite their abrupt timing. He acknowledged the unique challenges faced by a rapidly growing company and noted that the exits are not unprecedented.
McGrew mentioned that he felt it was time for a break, reflecting on the impactful journey he has had at OpenAI since joining in 2017. Zoph, who joined in 2022, described his departure as a natural point to pursue new opportunities.
While the departing executives characterized their exits as amicable, they occur amid reports that OpenAI is transitioning from a nonprofit governance model to a for-profit entity, with Altman expected to receive a 7% equity stake in the company. Furthermore, discussions surrounding a new funding round valuing OpenAI at $150 billion may have contributed to disagreements regarding the company’s future direction.
As OpenAI prepares for an all-hands meeting scheduled for Thursday, these resignations add to a pattern of high-profile exits from the company. Notable figures such as Andrej Karpathy, Ilya Sutskever, Jan Leike, and co-founder John Schulman have also departed recently, leaving only three of the original 13 founders still with the organization.
Altman concluded by acknowledging the intense demands of leadership at OpenAI, recognizing both the privilege of being part of a groundbreaking company and the relentless pace required to lead effectively. OpenAI’s press office did not provide a response regarding the recent leadership shifts.