Fidji Simo, the current CEO of Instacart, is set to join OpenAI as the CEO of Applications. This announcement comes as OpenAI continues to expand its leadership team.
Simo, who has served on OpenAI’s board for the past year, will transition from her role at Instacart over the next few months and is expected to join OpenAI full-time later this year.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed confidence in Simo’s capabilities, highlighting her extensive experience in product management and monetization.
He noted that her leadership will be vital for integrating existing business and operational teams responsible for delivering OpenAI’s research to the public. Simo will report directly to Altman, who will maintain oversight of research and other key verticals.
Before joining Instacart in 2021, Simo spent over a decade at Meta, where she played a significant role in launching ads on Facebook’s News Feed and overseeing the monetization of its app.
She left Meta as the head of the Facebook app and later helped take Instacart public in 2023.
In a post on X, Simo announced that she would remain as chair of Instacart’s board and indicated that a current member of the management team would be appointed as her successor.
She expressed enthusiasm about her new role at OpenAI, stating, “Joining OpenAI at this critical moment is an incredible privilege and responsibility.” She emphasized her commitment to shaping the applications of AI for the public good.
Simo’s transition reflects OpenAI’s ongoing efforts to enhance its operational capabilities and expand its impact in the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence.
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