OpenAI exec Fidji Simo steps down to part-time advisor role
OpenAI executive Fidji Simo announced on Thursday that she is stepping down from her full-time role as the company's product and business chief and will transition to a part-time advisor position. The move follows a months-long medical leave after a severe exacerbation of the chronic neuroimmune condition she has managed for seven years. Simo said she needs to focus fully on a longer recovery road than she initially expected.
The departure marks another leadership shake-up at one of the world's most closely watched AI companies, coming the same day OpenAI rolled out its biggest ChatGPT update since launch. For readers tracking executive moves across the industry, see more coverage in our Future Tech & AI Wonders section.
Key Takeaways
- Fidji Simo is leaving her full-time OpenAI role and becoming a part-time adviser, CNBC reported.
- She stepped away in April for medical leave after a severe relapse of POTS, a condition she was diagnosed with in 2019.
- President Greg Brockman has overseen product strategy during her absence; Thibault Sottiaux now leads core products including ChatGPT, per WIRED.
- OpenAI is narrowing its product focus ahead of a planned IPO now expected in 2027.
- CEO Sam Altman said he is grateful for Simo's contributions and friendship.
Why is Fidji Simo stepping down from OpenAI?
Simo cited health as the sole driver of her decision. In a post on X on Thursday, she wrote that three months ago she went on medical leave after a severe exacerbation of a chronic illness she has lived with for seven years. She said the path to recovery proved longer and more complex than she anticipated.
Simo was diagnosed with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome, or POTS, in 2019. In an April memo to staff, she said she had postponed medical tests and new therapies to stay focused on the job, but it became clear she needed new interventions to stabilize her health.
What role did Fidji Simo hold at OpenAI?
Simo served as OpenAI's product and business chief and was also described as chief executive of AGI deployment. CEO Sam Altman hired her in May 2025 to lead the applications business so he could focus on research and the company's data center buildout.
Before OpenAI, Simo was CEO of Instacart and previously led the Facebook app at Meta. She joined OpenAI's board of directors in March 2024. At hiring, Altman said Simo would help traditional company functions scale through OpenAI's next growth phase.
Who is running OpenAI's product strategy now?
Leadership shifted during Simo's absence. OpenAI president and cofounder Greg Brockman took over product strategy after her April leave. Brad Lightcap, the former chief operating officer, moved to oversee special projects.
In the months since, OpenAI further reorganized product teams and positioned Thibault Sottiaux as head of core products, including ChatGPT. The company has merged teams working on ChatGPT, its AI-powered browser, and its coding agent to build a superapp, while shutting down farther-flung bets like Sora.
What does Simo's departure mean for OpenAI?
The timing underscores tension between ambitious product launches and C-suite stability. Earlier Thursday, OpenAI unveiled a ChatGPT AI agent that can act on users' behalf and redesigned its desktop app—its largest product update since ChatGPT's release.
OpenAI is concentrating on a smaller set of core products as it prepares for a public offering now expected in 2027, with reports citing a target valuation of $1 trillion. The company confidentially filed for an IPO last month but has not offered a firm timeline. Altman, responding to Simo's announcement, said he was grateful for her work and who she is as a person.