OpenAI’s AGI head Fidji Simo to step down after a 3-month medical leave

Fidji Simo, who has been leading AGI Deployment at OpenAI, has announced her shift from a full-time position to a part-time advisory role. This decision comes after she took a three-month medical leave due to a neuroimmune condition, which has posed significant challenges for her health. In her announcement, shared on social media, Simo expressed that the journey to recovery has proven to be more complicated than she had expected. "Three months ago, I had to go on medical leave after a severe exacerbation of a chronic illness I’ve lived with for seven years. 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," she stated. Simo has been instrumental in OpenAI’s growth, particularly in scaling the ChatGPT platform and enhancing the company’s product offerings. Earlier this year, her title was updated to CEO of AGI Deployment, reflecting her leadership role. In response to her announcement, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman shared his sadness about her departure from a full-time role, expressing gratitude for her contributions and wishing her well in her recovery. Before her tenure at OpenAI, Simo was the CEO of Instacart and held significant roles at Meta, where she oversaw the Facebook app. Her transition comes at a pivotal time for OpenAI, coinciding with the launch of their new flagship model, GPT 5.6, and the upcoming ChatGPT Work tools. According to a report, her responsibilities will be redistributed among other key executives, including Greg Brockman and Sarah Friar, as the company prepares for potential public offerings and aims to expand its consumer and enterprise operations.