OpenAI Co-Founder John Schulman Departs for Rival Anthropic Amid Leadership Shifts

OpenAI, the company behind the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT, is experiencing significant leadership changes as co-founder John Schulman announces his departure to join rival AI firm Anthropic. Schulman, who played a pivotal role in developing ChatGPT and led OpenAI’s post-training team, cited a desire to focus more deeply on AI alignment and hands-on technical work as reasons for his move.

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Schulman stated, “This choice stems from my desire to deepen my focus on AI alignment, and to start a new chapter of my career where I can return to hands-on technical work.” He emphasized that his decision was not due to a lack of support for alignment research at OpenAI, praising the company’s commitment to investing in this area.

Schulman’s departure comes amid other significant personnel changes at OpenAI. Greg Brockman, another co-founder and the company’s president, announced he would be taking a sabbatical through the end of the year. Additionally, Peter Deng, a product manager who joined OpenAI last year, has also left the company.

These shifts follow earlier departures of key figures in OpenAI’s AI safety initiatives. The company recently disbanded its “Superalignment” team, which focused on controlling AI systems and ensuring advanced AI wouldn’t pose dangers to humanity. Jan Leike, one of the team’s leaders, also joined Anthropic, while Ilya Sutskever, another co-founder and Superalignment leader, started his own firm, Safe Superintelligence Inc.

Anthropic, founded in 2021 by former OpenAI employees, has become a significant player in the AI industry, attracting talent from its rival. The company was established by Daniela and Dario Amodei, who left OpenAI over concerns about the pace of technology scaling and inadequate safeguards.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed gratitude for Schulman’s contributions, noting that his perspective on the future of AI helped inform the company’s strategy. With Schulman’s departure, only three of OpenAI’s eleven original founders remain: Altman, Brockman, and Wojciech Zaremba.

These leadership changes come at a crucial time for OpenAI, as the company faces increased scrutiny and competition in the rapidly evolving AI landscape. The shifts also highlight the ongoing debate within the AI community about the balance between technological advancement and safety considerations.