OpenAI recently announced the hiring of Fidji Simo, former CEO of Instacart and ex-leader of Facebook's app division, to take on a newly created role as head of application business. Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, stated in a post on platform X that this new position will allow him to allocate more time and effort to crucial areas such as research, computing, and safety.
Fidji Simo joined Facebook in 2011 and was appointed head of Facebook’s apps in 2019. Under her leadership, she oversaw the development of many significant features, including the News Feed, Stories, and live video, while also making substantial contributions to the expansion of the company’s advertising business. In 2021, Simo was named CEO of Instacart and successfully guided the company to go public within just two years, achieving notable commercial success.
Although Simo has already become a board member at OpenAI, she will not immediately step down from her role at Instacart. She informed Instacart employees in a LinkedIn post that she will continue serving as CEO for the next few months until a successor is found. This announcement has garnered significant attention in the industry, with anticipation high regarding the changes and innovations she will bring.
With the launch of ChatGPT across multiple platforms including iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS, applications have become an essential part of OpenAI's business. Additionally, OpenAI is developing a platform similar to X, indicating its proactive expansion into new business areas and exploration of additional possibilities.
Simo’s joining is seen as a critical step in OpenAI’s strategic layout, capable of effectively promoting its development in the application domain. Industry insiders generally believe that Simo’s extensive experience in technology and commerce will bring new opportunities and challenges to OpenAI.
Key points:
🌟 OpenAI appoints former Facebook app leader Fidji Simo as the new head of application business to strengthen its leadership in the application field.
📈 During her tenure at Facebook, Simo led the development of several key features and successfully guided Instacart to go public.
⏳ Simo will continue to serve as CEO of Instacart for a few more months until a replacement is found.