In a significant move within the tech industry, Fidji Simo, the current CEO of Instacart, has been appointed as the new CEO of Applications at OpenAI. This announcement was made on Thursday, marking a pivotal transition for both Simo and the renowned artificial intelligence company, known for its groundbreaking developments like ChatGPT.
Simo, who has been a board member at OpenAI for the past year, is set to transition from her role at Instacart over the coming months. She will officially join OpenAI on a full-time basis later this year. Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, confirmed in a blog post that he will continue to oversee various verticals, including research, compute, and applications, while Simo will report directly to him.
Altman highlighted Simo’s unique qualifications to lead the newly formed Applications group, which integrates existing business and operational teams responsible for ensuring that OpenAI's research effectively reaches and benefits the global community. “Fidji has already contributed significantly to our company as a board member,” he stated. Simo’s extensive experience in product management and monetization is expected to play a crucial role in scaling OpenAI's traditional company functions, although Altman refrained from providing specific details regarding these initiatives.
Before her tenure at Instacart, which began in 2021, Simo spent over a decade at Meta (formerly Facebook), where she made considerable contributions to the company’s advertising strategies. Her notable achievements include leading the launch of ads on the Facebook News Feed, overseeing monetization for the Facebook app, and driving product development for Facebook Video, ultimately exiting as the head of the Facebook app. Under her leadership, Instacart successfully went public in 2023, showcasing her capability in steering companies toward significant milestones.
In a recent post on X, Simo announced her intention to continue serving as the chair of the Instacart board even after her transition to OpenAI. In a letter addressed to Instacart employees, she assured them that a current member of the management team would be appointed as her successor, with an official announcement expected soon. Simo expressed her gratitude for her time at Instacart and her excitement for the new challenges ahead.
In her statement, Simo emphasized the significance of joining OpenAI at this critical juncture: “This organization has the potential to accelerate human potential at a pace never seen before, and I am deeply committed to shaping these applications toward the public good.” Her commitment to leveraging AI for societal benefits aligns with OpenAI’s mission to promote safe and beneficial AI technologies.
This transition marks a new chapter for both Simo and OpenAI, as they look to harness Simo’s extensive background in technology and innovation to further enhance their impact on the world.
