- By Prateek Levi
- Mon, 12 May 2025 07:23 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
OpenAI has tapped Fidji Simo to lead a major new division within the company. Simo will take on the role of CEO of Applications, a move that allows current OpenAI CEO Sam Altman to focus more heavily on the company's core priorities: research, compute, and AI safety.
Announcing the decision on X, Altman wrote, “So excited that @fidjissimo is joining OpenAI in a new role: CEO of applications, reporting to me. I'll remain CEO of OpenAI, but in this new configuration I'll be able to increase my focus on research, compute, and safety. These are critical as we approach superintelligence."
Who is Fidji Simo?
Simo currently serves as the CEO of Instacart, the grocery delivery platform, a role she’s held since 2021. She’s also no stranger to OpenAI — she has been a board member at the company and sits on the board of Shopify as well. According to her LinkedIn profile, Simo is alsohe co-founder and president of the Metrodora Institute and Metrodora Foundation, which focus on treating neuroimmune disorders.
Before Instacart, Simo spent over a decade at Facebook (now Meta), where she held several major leadership roles, including Head of the Facebook App, VP of Video, Games, and Monetisation, and Director of Product Management. Her resume also includes time as a board member of Cirque du Soleil and a strategy manager at eBay.
In terms of education, she earned a Master of Science in Management from HEC Paris and also studied Business/Commerce at UCLA Anderson School of Management.
Altman praises Simo’s track record
Altman expressed strong confidence in Simo’s abilities, saying, “Fidji is exceptional; we have worked together on OpenAI for the past year and I have observed her deep commitment to our mission. I cannot imagine a better new team member to help us scale the next 10x (or 100x, let's see).”
Simo reflects on departure from Instacart
In a LinkedIn post, Simo addressed her departure from Instacart, calling the decision a difficult one but motivated by her passion for AI.
“Hi team - I want to share an important update with you that I will be leaving Instacart in the coming months to take on a new role as CEO of OpenAI Applications, leading the product, business, and other company functions,” she wrote.
She continued, “Let me start by saying this was an incredibly hard decision because I love this company. We are operating incredibly well as our last earnings results have shown. Our strategy is working and this team is top notch, which makes it very hard to leave.”
“At the same time, you all know my passion for AI generally and in particular for the potential it has to cure diseases — the ability to lead such an important part of our collective future was a hard opportunity to pass up. I only feel comfortable doing this because Instacart is on an excellent track and in great hands with a stellar management team,” she added.
Simo will step into the new role as OpenAI looks to scale its consumer and enterprise applications, signalling the company's next big phase of growth.
