Piji Simo, the Chief Executive Officer of Applications at OpenAI and the company's second-in-command, has resigned due to health issues after just over a year in the role. Concerns are growing that the ongoing changes in OpenAI's management could disrupt plans for an initial public offering (IPO) that the company was preparing for this year.
Simo announced on social media platform X on July 9 that he would be stepping down from his full-time position at OpenAI to take on a part-time advisory role. He explained that a chronic illness he has suffered from for seven years worsened significantly three months ago, forcing him to take medical leave. Simo noted that he realized the recovery process would be much longer and more complicated than initially expected, leading him to focus on his health. Reports indicate that Simo was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) in 2019.
From 2019 to 2021, Simo oversaw the app division at Facebook and successfully led the IPO of grocery delivery service Instacart in 2023. Following the 'OpenAI coup' in November 2023, he was appointed to the board of OpenAI in March 2024 under the leadership of CEO Sam Altman, and in May of the same year, he became the CEO of Applications at OpenAI.
During his tenure, Simo managed OpenAI's product-related operations, including the discontinuation of the video generation service 'Sora' and the initial development efforts for the newly announced super app 'ChatGPT Work.' This product, designed to assist with work tasks, is based on OpenAI's latest AI model, GPT-5.6, and the coding platform Codex. Simo has been instrumental in transitioning the company's offerings into a super app format that consolidates its products.
Simo's resignation adds to the ongoing changes in OpenAI's management, raising concerns about competition with Anthropic and potential setbacks to the company's goal of a $1 trillion IPO this year. Following Simo's medical leave in April, co-founder Greg Brockman took over product operations, while Chief Operating Officer Brad Lightcap assumed responsibility for 'special projects,' indicating significant shifts in the leadership team. Additionally, last month, Chief Marketing Officer Kate Louch also took medical leave for cancer treatment.
The Wall Street Journal reported, "OpenAI is preparing for an IPO as early as this year while also trying to catch up with competitor Anthropic in the enterprise customer market, amid yet another management shakeup." It noted that Simo was expected to play a larger role in leading the company if it went public, having been appointed by CEO Sam Altman to oversee OpenAI's product and business divisions.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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