OpenAI is entering a new phase of leadership as Fidji Simo steps away from her full-time executive position and shifts into a part-time advisory role. The change follows a longer-than-expected medical leave, according to a staff note shared on Thursday.
Simo joined OpenAI's board in 2024 and later became CEO of Applications in May 2025, a newly created role designed to bring the company's business and product efforts under one umbrella. In that structure, key leaders including COO Brad Lightcap, CFO Sarah Friar and CPO Kevin Weil reported to her, while Sam Altman focused more closely on research, compute and safety priorities.
Before OpenAI, Simo led Instacart as CEO and guided the company through its 2023 IPO. Her earlier career included more than a decade at Meta, where she played a major role in shaping the Facebook app experience.
The transition comes as OpenAI continues to refine its consumer strategy and expand its enterprise ambitions. With leadership responsibilities shifting, the company is now positioned to reassess how it balances product growth, advanced research and commercial scale. The next chapter could help define how AI platforms evolve into broader everyday tools for work and life.
