Who is Srinivas Narayanan? The IIT Madras alumnus behind ChatGPT growth leaving OpenAI

Srinivas Narayanan, a prominent technology executive with Indian roots, has announced his departure from OpenAI, where he served as Chief Technology Officer for B2B Applications. His exit, effective next week, marks a significant leadership change as the company intensifies its focus on enterprise AI solutions. Based in San Francisco, Narayanan took to social media to share his reflections on his three-year journey at OpenAI, describing it as an experience that felt much longer due to its intensity and impact. He communicated his decision to the leadership team earlier this month and has now made it known internally. During his time at OpenAI, Narayanan played a pivotal role in driving engineering initiatives related to B2B applications and previously led efforts in Applied Engineering. He pointed out the successful launch and growth of products like ChatGPT and OpenAI’s developer API, which he labeled as some of the fastest-growing technologies in history. Narayanan attributed these accomplishments to the exceptional team at OpenAI, emphasizing their commitment and influence. His departure comes at a critical juncture as OpenAI seeks to expand its enterprise capabilities. Having joined the organization in April 2023 as Vice President of Engineering and swiftly rising to CTO of B2B Applications by September 2025, Narayanan was instrumental in overseeing vital infrastructure and product development for enterprise clients, contributing significantly to the firm's commercial AI landscape. Before his tenure at OpenAI, Narayanan amassed over a decade of experience at Facebook (now Meta) as Vice President of Engineering, where he spearheaded major systems and product developments. His career also includes positions at IBM and Tavant Technologies, along with co-founding Viralizr, a startup dedicated to social collaboration tools. Additionally, he collaborated with General Catalyst on AI-related projects prior to joining OpenAI. An alumnus of the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Narayanan earned his Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science in 1995 and later obtained a Master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin–Madison. He kicked off his career at IBM’s Almaden Research Center in 1997, establishing a strong foundation in research and engineering that propelled him into various leadership roles across the tech sector. Looking ahead, Narayanan plans to spend quality time in India with his aging parents before contemplating his next career move. He expressed his gratitude towards his colleagues and the leadership at OpenAI, stating he will cherish his experiences during this transformative era in technology and society. His exit highlights a pivotal moment for OpenAI as it continues to scale its operations while managing changes in its leadership.