OpenAI has announced the appointment of Fidji Simo, the current CEO of Instacart and former head of the Facebook app, as the new CEO of Applications. This move aims to bolster the commercial growth of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT. Sam Altman, OpenAI's CEO, confirmed that this new role will allow him to concentrate more on research, computing, and security challenges.
Fidji Simo, who joined Facebook in 2011 and led its main app in 2019, played a crucial role in developing features such as news, stories, and live broadcasts. She will transition from her role at Instacart over the next few months and join OpenAI later this year. Simo will also remain chair of Instacart's board.
Simo's expertise in monetization, digital scaling, and user experience is expected to help OpenAI compete with major players like Google, Amazon, and Meta in the generative AI market. Her leadership team will include Chief Operating Officer Brad Lightcap, Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar, and Chief Product Officer Kevin Weil.