OpenAI has appointed Fidji Simo as its new CEO of Applications, a strategic move that allows Sam Altman, the company’s CEO, to focus on research, computation, and safety. Simo, who has been on OpenAI’s board since March 2024, will oversee product development, operations, and finance, reporting directly to Altman .
Simo brings a wealth of experience to her new role. She served as the CEO of Instacart from 2021, leading the company through its public offering in 2023. Prior to that, she spent a decade at Meta (formerly Facebook), where she led the Facebook app and played a key role in developing features like News Feed, Stories, and Facebook Live .
At Instacart, Simo transformed the company from a grocery delivery service into a profitable tech platform. Under her leadership, Instacart introduced an advertising business that accounted for nearly a third of its $2.6 billion revenue in 2022 . She also guided the company through a successful IPO in 2023, raising over $660 million .
Simo’s appointment at OpenAI signals the company’s intent to expand its consumer-facing applications and challenge advertising giants like Google and Meta. With her leadership, OpenAI aims to scale its commercial presence and potentially lay the groundwork for a future public offering .
As Simo transitions from Instacart, she will continue to serve as chair of the board, supporting the company’s leadership during the search for a new CEO . Her move to OpenAI marks a significant step in the company’s evolution, as it seeks to leverage her expertise to drive growth and innovation in the AI industry.
