Fidji Simo joins OpenAI as Chief Executive Officer of Applications

• Fidji Simo appointed as new CEO of Applications at OpenAI
• Fidji will report to CEO Sam Altman, focusing on Application-oriented projects

OpenAI has appointed Fidji Simo as its new Chief Executive Officer of Applications, reporting directly to CEO Sam Altman. Simo will focus on application-oriented projects like ChatGPT and consumer-oriented AI applications. Altman will focus on research, computing, and safety as the AI platform nears superintelligence.

On appointing Fidji Simo, CEO Sam Altman says, "I will work closely with our board, making sure our non-profit has maximum positive impact."

On her appointment, Fidji mentions, "Joining OpenAI at this critical moment is an incredible privilege and responsibility. This organization has the potential of accelerating human potential at a pace never seen before, and I am deeply committed to shaping these applications toward the public good."

In addition to this, CEO Sam Altman notes, "Applications brings together a group of existing business and operational teams responsible for how our research reaches and benefits the world. Simo will focus on enabling our 'traditional' company functions to scale as we enter the next phase of growth."

Fidji Simo, a French-American businesswoman, took Instacart public in 2024, breaking the longest tech IPO drought in three decades. She is currently CEO and Chair of Instacart, co-founder of Metrodora Institute, and president of Metrodora Foundation. Simo has over 10 years of experience at Facebook and is an alumnus of UCLA Anderson School of Management and HEC Paris Business School.