OpenAI Appoints Fidji Simo as CEO of Applications to Drive Global Operations and Growth

OpenAI has announced that Fidji Simo will become its new Chief Executive Officer of Applications, a role aimed at scaling the company’s operations globally. The announcement was made by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman in an internal message shared with staff and later published on the company’s blog. Simo, who will report directly to Altman, is set to transition into this role after leaving her position at Instacart later this year.

As CEO of Applications, Simo will lead OpenAI’s business and operational teams, overseeing the scaling of the company’s core functions. The Applications division unites key teams responsible for translating OpenAI’s research into tangible, impactful products and services. Altman emphasized Simo’s unique qualifications for this role, citing her experience as an OpenAI board member over the past year, where she has already made significant contributions to the organization.

Fidji Simo’s leadership experience is notable, with her most recent role as CEO of Instacart, where she has served for four years. Before that, Simo held a key position at Meta Platforms Inc., where she was the Vice President and Head of the Facebook app. Additionally, she co-founded the Metrodora Institute, a medical clinic focused on neuroimmune disorders. This combination of business, tech, and healthcare experience will be crucial as she takes on her new responsibilities at OpenAI.

In a statement about her new role, Simo called her appointment a “privilege and responsibility,” emphasizing her commitment to advancing OpenAI’s technology for the public good. She expressed her excitement about the potential to accelerate human potential through OpenAI’s applications and to help steer the company toward achieving its vision of positive societal impact.

This leadership change is part of OpenAI’s larger strategy to scale its operations as it moves into a new phase of growth. The company, once primarily a research lab, has expanded its reach to serve millions of users globally while becoming a leader in AI infrastructure and nonprofit initiatives. With this reorganization, Sam Altman will continue to focus on Research, Compute, and Safety Systems, while Simo takes over day-to-day operations, including finance, to help OpenAI continue its trajectory of growth and innovation.

Source: Nairametrics