OpenAI has appointed Fidji Simo, the current CEO of Instacart and the former chief of the Facebook app, to lead its app division. In a message shared on X, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman indicated that this new leadership role will enable him to concentrate more on research, computational capabilities, and safety initiatives.
Simo joined Facebook in 2011 and was appointed to head the Facebook app three years later, during which she was responsible for key features such as News Feed, Stories, and live video. Her efforts played a significant role in enhancing the company’s advertising revenue. In 2021, she took the helm at Instacart, leading the company through its public offering process just two years later.
Although Simo has been part of OpenAI’s board since the previous year, she will remain with Instacart for the time being. In a message to Instacart employees posted on LinkedIn, she confirmed that she intends to stay on as CEO until a successor is appointed, indicating that her transition to OpenAI will not happen immediately.
OpenAI has increasingly focused on applications with the rollout of ChatGPT across various platforms including iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS. Furthermore, the company is also in the process of developing a social network resembling X, as reported by Technology News in April.
