• Three senior leaders at OpenAI, including Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati, have resigned during a critical phase of the company's growth.
  • Murati, VP of Research Barret Zoph, and Chief Research Officer Bob McGrew shared their decisions publicly, with Murati stepping down to explore personal ventures.
  • The leadership exits come as OpenAI is in the midst of raising $6.5 billion, potentially reaching a $150 billion valuation.

Three key leaders at OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, announced their departures on Wednesday amid a time of transition and growth for the AI firm. Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati, VP of Research Barret Zoph, and Chief Research Officer Bob McGrew shared the news in posts on X (formerly Twitter).

Mira Murati, who has been with OpenAI for over six years, revealed her decision to step down as CTO on Thursday, September 26. A driving force behind some of the company’s major AI advancements, Murati said she is leaving to "create the time and space to do [her] own exploration."

She shared the announcement with her team and followers on X, saying, "I shared the following note with the OpenAI team today."

In response to Murati's announcement, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman shared his heartfelt gratitude. He wrote:

"Mira, thank you for everything. It’s hard to overstate how much Mira has meant to OpenAI, our mission, and to us all personally."

Altman expressed deep appreciation not only for her contributions to the company's success but also for the personal support she provided through challenging times.

"I feel tremendous gratitude towards her for what she has helped us build and accomplish," he continued, "but I most of all feel personal gratitude towards her for the support and love during all the hard times. I am excited for what she’ll do next."

Altman hinted that more details on the transition will come soon, but for now, his focus is on "just feeling thanks."

Additionally, just hours after Murati’s announcement, Altman disclosed that two more senior technical leaders, Barret Zoph, VP of Research, and Bob McGrew, Chief Research Officer, had also resigned.

Altman further explained that leadership changes are a natural part of any company, especially those experiencing rapid growth and high demands. While acknowledging that this particular change may seem abrupt, he emphasized that OpenAI is not a typical company.

He noted that the reasons provided by Mira Murati for her departure — including the fact that there is never an ideal time, anything less abrupt would have likely leaked, and her desire to leave while OpenAI is thriving — were understandable.

OpenAI is in the midst of raising $6.5 billion, potentially pushing its valuation to $150 billion. As part of this, the company is shifting to a for-profit benefit corporation and offering CEO Sam Altman equity. Previously, OpenAI had a unique setup where a non-profit board controlled its for-profit operations.

Although the funding round is still in progress, recent executive departures raise concerns about their impact on investor confidence. According to Reuters, some deals include clauses that let investors back out if a major negative event occurs, but it’s unclear if this situation meets those conditions.

Edited by Harshajit Sarmah

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