Fidji Simo joins OpenAI as its new CEO of Applications, marking a major leadership shift in the AI world. The current Instacart CEO will step down in the coming months and take on her new role at OpenAI later this year.
Simo already serves on OpenAI’s board. Now, she’ll lead a growing team focused on turning AI research into useful products for the public. She will report directly to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who will still oversee core areas like research and compute.
Altman called Simo the ideal leader to guide OpenAI’s application efforts. In a blog post, he said she had already made a big impact as a board member. He praised her ability to build and scale world-class tech products.
Before joining Instacart in 2021, Simo spent more than ten years at Meta. She helped launch ads in the News Feed, led monetization for the Facebook app, and oversaw video product development. She eventually became the head of the Facebook app. At Instacart, she led the company through a successful IPO in 2023.
In her new role, Simo will shape how OpenAI’s technology—like ChatGPT—reaches the world. She’ll also help the company grow its business operations, though details on that are still under wraps.
Simo confirmed her move in a post on X. She said she would remain as chair of Instacart’s board. A current executive at Instacart will be named CEO soon, she added in a letter to employees.
“Joining OpenAI at this moment is a huge privilege,” Simo said in a statement. “This team has the power to boost human potential like never before. I’m excited to guide our work toward tools that serve the public good.”
With Simo at the helm, her experience in product design and monetization will be key. With strong roots in both consumer tech and business growth, she brings the right mix to help OpenAI scale responsibly.
