Instacart CEO Fidji Simo to Team Up with OpenAI

Fidji Simo, currently the CEO of Instacart, will transition to OpenAI as Application CEO, as announced by the creator of ChatGPT on Thursday. Simo, who is also a board member at OpenAI, will progressively step away from her role at Instacart in the upcoming months and will join OpenAI on a full-time basis later this year.

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, affirmed that he will continue in his role, overseeing research, computing, and application areas. Simo will report directly to him.

“The Applications team integrates various existing business and operational units focused on ensuring our research is impactful and beneficial globally. Fidji is uniquely qualified to lead this initiative. As she has contributed significantly to OpenAI as a board member for the past year, we look forward to her full transition from Instacart in the coming months,” Altman stated in a blog post.

Moreover, Simo is expected to help OpenAI improve its conventional company operations, though Altman did not elaborate on this matter.

Simo brings a wealth of experience in product management and monetization. Before her time at Instacart, which started in 2021, she spent over ten years at Meta, where she led significant initiatives, including the introduction of ads on the News Feed, headed monetization for the Facebook app, and was instrumental in the development of Facebook Video. She played a crucial role in building Meta’s advertising structure and exited Meta as the head of the Facebook app. At Instacart, she significantly contributed to the company’s public offering in 2023.

In a post on X, Simo noted she would continue as chair of the Instacart board. She informed Instacart employees that a current management member would succeed her as CEO, with further details to be announced soon.

“Joining OpenAI at such a critical time is a tremendous honor and responsibility. This organization has the power to enhance human capability at an unparalleled rate, and I am fully committed to directing these applications for the benefit of the public,” she expressed.