Fidji Simo is stepping down as OpenAI’s Chief Executive of AGI Deployment after taking a monthslong medical leave. She will remain with the company as a part-time Adviser while focusing on treatment for a chronic neuroimmune condition.
“During that time, it became clear that the road to recovery would be much longer and more complex than I had anticipated—and that I needed to focus on it fully,” Simo wrote on X. She was diagnosed with postural tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, in 2019 and said she had postponed medical tests and treatments while working at OpenAI.
Simo joined OpenAI’s board in March 2024 and moved into the executive role the following year. She was hired to oversee the company’s product and business organizations, allowing CEO Sam Altman to concentrate on AI research and data center construction. Simo previously served as CEO of Instacart and led Facebook’s flagship app at Meta.
Her departure formalizes a redistribution of responsibilities that began during her leave. Former Chief Operating Officer Brad Lightcap moved into a special projects role, while Co-Founder and President Greg Brockman took control of product strategy. OpenAI also named Thibault Sottiaux head of core products, including ChatGPT.
The changes come as OpenAI concentrates its product teams ahead of a possible 2027 initial public offering, according to WIRED. The publication reported that OpenAI has combined teams working on ChatGPT, its browser, and its coding agent around a planned “superapp,” while ending projects including Sora. OpenAI is reportedly seeking a valuation of $1 trillion.