OpenAI’s AGI chief Fidji Simo steps down from full-time role, becomes part-time advisor

OpenAI’s Fidji Simo is stepping down from her full-time role as the leader of the company’s AGI efforts and will transition to a part-time advisory role, she announced on X. Simo cited a chronic neuroimmune condition and the need for extended recovery as the reasons for the transition. She had previously announced a medical leave in April due to the condition.

Simo’s departure follows months of changes in OpenAI’s C-suite. In April, she announced a few weeks of medical leave, shortly after taking on the AGI chief role. OpenAI COO Brad Lightcap also stepped down around the same time to focus on special projects, and CMO Kate Rouch stepped down to focus on her health. Rouch was expected to return to a more narrowly scoped role when her health allowed.

During Simo’s medical leave, OpenAI president Greg Brockman took charge of product, including leading the company’s super app efforts. Brockman later led a company reorganization in mid-May, taking charge of product strategy and scaling, with a focus on AI agent goals. The reorganization aimed to prioritize a single agentic platform and merge ChatGPT and Codex into a unified agentic experience.

In a post on X, Simo wrote that three months prior she had to go on medical leave after a severe exacerbation of a chronic illness she had lived with for seven years. She stated that the road to recovery would be longer and more complex than anticipated and that she needed to focus on it fully.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman responded on X, saying he was 'really sad about this' and expressed gratitude toward Simo’s contributions.