Fidji Simo, the current CEO of Instacart, will transition to a leadership role at OpenAI on August 18th. In her new position, Simo will oversee a substantial portion of the company as the “CEO of Applications,” a role that includes direct reporting to OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman. Her primary responsibility will be to scale and enhance the application of OpenAI’s technology.
This newly created position was first announced during Altman’s reorganization update in May. In that communication, Altman stated that he would continue to manage the three core functions of OpenAI—research, compute, and applications—while increasing his focus on research and safety systems. Simo will concentrate on product development and growth initiatives.
In a memo shared with employees, which was also published on OpenAI’s blog, Simo expressed enthusiasm for potential breakthroughs in AI-driven healthcare. She elaborated on her belief that AI can aid in areas such as career and life coaching, creative expression, time management, second medical opinions, time regeneration, and personalized tutoring.
Simo noted that significant technological advancements could either broaden access to power or lead to a further concentration of wealth among a select few, often those already in positions of power. She emphasized that the decisions made by OpenAI and AI leaders today will influence whether future transformations empower the masses or result in increased wealth concentration.
Simo has been a member of the OpenAI board since March 2024, coinciding with Altman’s return to the board following an investigation into his temporary removal.
The applications department at OpenAI combines several existing business and operational teams tasked with ensuring that OpenAI’s research has a meaningful impact on the world, as stated by Altman in May. He noted that Simo’s focus would be on scaling traditional company functions as OpenAI prepares for its next growth phase.
Correction: An earlier version of this article mistakenly identified Simo as the former CEO of Instacart. She will remain in her role at Instacart until the company releases its earnings in early August before commencing her new position at OpenAI.
