Ilya Sutskever, co-founder and chief scientist of OpenAI, has announced his departure from the pioneering startup. This departure marks the end of nearly a decade-long tenure for Sutskever at OpenAI.
Sutskever’s exit comes amidst a period of leadership transitions at OpenAI. His departure follows closely on the heels of the dramatic firing and subsequent rehiring of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, events in which Sutskever played a notable role.
His decision to leave the company reportedly stems from a desire to pursue a new project, the details of which he has yet to disclose. His departure also comes shortly after OpenAI’s unveiling of their latest AI model, GPT-4o, capable of engaging in realistic voice conversations and interactions across various mediums, including text and images.
Jakub Pachocki, who previously served as OpenAI’s director of research and led the development of GPT-4 and OpenAI Five, has been named as Sutskever’s successor in the role of chief scientist. Pachocki’s appointment signals a new chapter for OpenAI as the company navigates through this period of transition.
Sutskever’s impact on the AI landscape extends beyond his role at OpenAI. Prior to co-founding the startup, he held research positions at Google Brain and Stanford University, where he collaborated closely with Geoffrey Hinton, a prominent figure in the AI community.
