Fidji Simo, who served as OpenAI's CEO of AGI Deployment, has announced she will step down from her full-time position and transition to a part-time advisory role within the company. This change follows a three-month medical leave she took due to a severe exacerbation of a chronic neuroimmune condition, which requires a longer recovery period than initially anticipated.
During her tenure, Simo played a pivotal role in leading OpenAI's product and commercial operations. She was instrumental in scaling ChatGPT and expanding the company's broader application portfolio. Her position was formally renamed CEO of AGI Deployment earlier this year, underscoring her importance in the company's core mission.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed his sentiments regarding Simo's departure in a public statement, saying, "I am really sad about this and very grateful for all Fidji has done for OpenAI, and even grateful for her friendship and who she is as a person." He also conveyed wishes for her speedy recovery.
Before joining OpenAI, Simo held significant leadership positions in the tech industry. She previously served as the CEO of Instacart, the online grocery delivery giant, and before that, she led the Facebook app at Meta. She initially joined OpenAI as a board member in March 2024 before taking on her executive role.
Simo's announcement coincides with a busy period for OpenAI, which recently launched its new flagship model, GPT 5.6, and ChatGPT Work. Her responsibilities will now be distributed among key OpenAI leaders, including President Greg Brockman, Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar, and Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon. This leadership transition comes as OpenAI is reportedly planning for a potential initial public offering (IPO) in the coming months, making her shift a notable development as the company scales its consumer and enterprise operations.