OpenAI’s Fidji Simo Aims to Enhance ChatGPT’s Functionality—And Introduce Subscription Costs

If OpenAI’s structure wasn’t already peculiar—a nonprofit overseeing a for-profit that operates as a public benefit corporation—it now features two CEOs. Sam Altman is the chief executive of the entire company, managing both research and computation. Additionally, as of this summer, Fidji Simo, the former CEO of Instacart, oversees all other operations.

Since starting as CEO of Applications in August, Simo hasn’t been frequently seen at OpenAI’s San Francisco headquarters. However, her influence resonates throughout the company—especially since she leads ChatGPT and nearly every revenue-generating function. Simo is currently managing a relapse of postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), which causes her to faint if she stands too long. Thus, she’s primarily working from her home in Los Angeles and is quite active on Slack. A lot.

“Being present from 8 am to midnight daily, responding within five minutes, makes people feel I’m accessible and can join conversations instantly,” she shares. Employees confirm this to be accurate. OpenAI’s renowned Slack-driven culture can feel intense for newcomers. Yet, this doesn’t seem to faze Simo. Employees report that she regularly engages in channels and discussions, sharing insights and posing questions.

Simo joined OpenAI during a tumultuous phase, as the organization is expanding in almost all directions. This includes sovereign AI collaborations, new model launches, retail partnerships, multibillion-dollar computing agreements, a proprietary chip, a secretive hardware project—and naturally, ChatGPT. “We don’t compete for a broader scope,” Simo states. “We compete for a narrower scope.”

Beyond Silicon Valley, Simo’s recruitment surprised many. For those familiar with the industry, it was less unexpected. Hailing from Sète, a quaint fishing village in southern France, Simo gained recognition leading the Facebook app at Meta before becoming Instacart’s CEO in 2021. She took the grocery startup public two years later. In the Valley, she’s regarded as a product visionary, known for scaling consumer applications globally.

Simo’s primary objective at OpenAI is similarly to transform the company’s research innovations into lucrative, essential consumer products. She faces formidable competition from tech titans like Google and Meta, along with AI startups established by former OpenAI employees, such as Thinking Machines Lab, Anthropic, and Periodic Labs. “What troubles me is that our models’ intelligence far outpaces how much people are actually utilizing them,” Simo remarks. “I view my job as bridging this gap.”

Since her arrival, Simo has spearheaded the launch of Pulse, a product that links to users’ calendars to provide personalized insights based on their schedules, chat interactions, and feedback. She has developed a jobs platform for individuals to gain AI certifications and seek positions that leverage their skills, and intensified efforts to enhance ChatGPT’s responses for individuals in acute mental health situations. Sources indicate that she will eventually determine how to implement advertising in ChatGPT’s free tier.