OpenAI co-founder Schulman departs for Anthropic, while Brockman takes an extended leave
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John Schulman, a co-founder of OpenAI and head of alignment research, has left the company to join rival AI startup Anthropic. This follows the departure of another key figure, Jan Leike, who also moved to Anthropic due to concerns about the availability of compute resources for safety research.
August 06, 2024 07:28
John Schulman, a co-founder of OpenAI and head of alignment research, has left the company to join rival AI startup Anthropic. This comes shortly after another key figure, Jan Leike, also departed for Anthropic due to concerns about compute resources for safety research.
Simultaneously, Greg Brockman, OpenAI's president and another co-founder, is taking an extended leave of absence.
Potential Implications
These departures raise questions about the future direction of OpenAI and its ability to maintain its leading position in AI research.
- Alignment Focus Shift: Schulman's departure could impact OpenAI's focus on AI alignment, a critical area for ensuring AI systems are safe and beneficial.
- Leadership Vacuum: Brockman's absence creates a leadership void at a crucial time for the company.
- Talent War: The departures highlight the intense competition for top AI talent between OpenAI and its rivals.
It remains to be seen how these changes will affect OpenAI's research, development, and overall strategy.