Fidji Simo, incoming CEO of Applications at OpenAI and Instacart CEO, penned her first missive and laid out an optimistic vision for AI.
Describing herself as a "pragmatic technologist", Simo said OpenAI has to get AI right so that it benefits as many people as possible. "Every major technology shift can expand access to power—the power to make better decisions, shape the world around us, and control our own destiny in new ways. But it can also further concentrate wealth and power in the hands of a few—usually people who already have money, credentials, and connections," said Simo.
She added that OpenAI has to be intentional about how it builds and shares its AI. Here are the takeaways from Simo's introductory memo.
Simo believes in OpenAI's potential. Yes, there's an AI hiring spree going on, but the most interesting item in Simo's hiring is this: Simo is a CEO of a publicly listed company that has a lot of runway ahead and has decided to leave to ride shotgun to an entrenched CEO. There aren't many executives that would make that move. Simo technically is CEO of Applications, but Sam Altman leads the charge.
The vision aligns with OpenAI's verticals. AI can change healthcare outcomes. AI can democratize education. It's not surprising that OpenAI is playing in those same areas.
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Simo is likely to be a good buffer between OpenAI, Altman and sometimes tone deaf nerds. Simo's memo noted that she hired a tutor for biology and genetics and has a business coach. Humility and AI tech bros typically aren't mentioned in the same sentence. Before becoming CEO of Instacart, Simo was Vice President and Head of Facebook and also founded the Metrodora Institute, a multidisciplinary medical clinic and research foundation dedicated to the care and cure of neuroimmune axis disorders.
OpenAI is aiming to be a mass market AI coach that can be used for knowledge, health, creative expression, economic freedom, time and support.
A roadmap for applications will emerge to address those broad themes outlined in Simo's memo. As LLM capabilities all converge to be good enough, it'll be critical to create applications and ecosystems for staying power. Simo's job will be to develop OpenAI apps that can compete with frenemy Microsoft, Google and a bevy of others across the consumer and enterprise markets.
