Fidji Simo announced she is leaving her role as head of product and business at OpenAI after a severe exacerbation of Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS), a chronic condition she was diagnosed with in 2019.
What happened
Simo said on Thursday via X that she is stepping down following the worsening of her POTS. She went on medical leave in April, and during her absence OpenAI President Greg Brockman assumed responsibility for product. Although she is leaving the executive post, Simo will remain with OpenAI as a part-time advisor.
Responses and context
The Wall Street Journal first reported the development. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman posted on X that he is “really sad about this and very grateful...we all wish her the best for a speedy recovery. this sucks.” In her post, Simo wrote she had delayed the decision several times before and emphasized that she sees growing opportunities for AI in health care.
Simo’s background at OpenAI
Fidji Simo joined OpenAI in 2025 after leading Instacart through its IPO and had previously spent more than a decade at Meta. Sam Altman brought her in to scale OpenAI’s applications business as the company expanded beyond frontier AI models into consumer and enterprise products.
Why this matters
Simo’s departure removes one of OpenAI’s highest-profile executives from a day-to-day leadership role, potentially affecting the company’s product and business strategy. The immediate operational gap has been covered by Greg Brockman, and Simo’s continued involvement as a part-time advisor may help maintain continuity.
