OpenAI Recruits Ex-Facebook App Head
Fidji Simo Joins OpenAI as Head of Apps Business
OpenAI has made a big splash by bringing on Fidji Simo, the current CEO of Instacart and former head of the Facebook app, to lead their apps business. This move comes straight from the top, with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman sharing on X that the new role will allow him to shift his focus more towards research, computing, and safety. It's clear they're setting the stage for some exciting developments in the apps space!
Simo's Journey: From Facebook to Instacart to OpenAI
Fidji Simo's career trajectory is nothing short of impressive. She joined Facebook back in 2011 and climbed the ranks to become the head of the Facebook app in 2019. During her time there, she was at the helm of key features like the News Feed, Stories, live video, and more, significantly boosting the company's advertising revenue. In 2021, Instacart snagged her as their CEO, and under her leadership, they went public in record time—just two years later!
Interestingly, Simo has been an OpenAI board member since last year, which shows her deep involvement and commitment to the AI world. However, she won't be jumping ship from Instacart just yet. In a heartfelt LinkedIn post, she reassured her Instacart team that she's sticking around "for a couple of months" and will continue as CEO until they find the right successor. It's great to see such a smooth transition plan in place.
OpenAI's Growing Focus on Apps
Apps have become a cornerstone of OpenAI's business strategy, especially since ChatGPT made its debut on iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS. The company isn't stopping there; they're also reportedly working on a social network akin to X, as highlighted by The Verge back in April. With Fidji Simo at the helm of their apps business, there's no doubt that OpenAI is gearing up for some major advancements in this arena.
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Comments (6)
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![ChristopherDavis]()
ChristopherDavis
September 9, 2025 at 6:30:31 PM EDT
Cette annonce montre qu'OpenAI veut vraiment conquérir le marché grand public ! Avec l'expérience de Fidji Simo chez Facebook et Instacart, ils ont trouvé la personne parfaite pour rendre leurs produits plus accessibles. Ça promet des innovations intéressantes... mais est-ce qu'ils ne risquent pas de trop s'éloigner de leur cœur de métier initial ? 🤔
0
![OliviaJones]()
OliviaJones
August 24, 2025 at 3:01:19 AM EDT
Fidji Simo jumping from Instacart to OpenAI? Big move! Excited to see how her app expertise shapes AI tools. 🚀
0
![JohnWilson]()
JohnWilson
August 17, 2025 at 11:00:59 PM EDT
Wow, Fidji Simo jumping from Instacart to OpenAI is huge! Her Facebook app experience could really shake things up. Curious to see how she’ll push AI apps forward—big potential but also big pressure! 😎
0
![RalphWalker]()
RalphWalker
August 17, 2025 at 7:00:59 AM EDT
Fidji Simo jumping from Instacart to OpenAI? That's a bold move! Excited to see how her app expertise shapes AI tools. 🚀
0
![ChristopherThomas]()
ChristopherThomas
August 5, 2025 at 3:00:59 PM EDT
Fidji Simo jumping from Instacart to OpenAI? That's a bold move! Excited to see how her app expertise shakes up AI development. 🚀
0
![JamesJones]()
JamesJones
August 4, 2025 at 11:00:59 PM EDT
Fidji Simo joining OpenAI is a game-changer! Her experience at Facebook and Instacart could really shake up their app strategy. Excited to see what new features they roll out! 😎
0
Fidji Simo Joins OpenAI as Head of Apps Business
OpenAI has made a big splash by bringing on Fidji Simo, the current CEO of Instacart and former head of the Facebook app, to lead their apps business. This move comes straight from the top, with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman sharing on X that the new role will allow him to shift his focus more towards research, computing, and safety. It's clear they're setting the stage for some exciting developments in the apps space!
Simo's Journey: From Facebook to Instacart to OpenAI
Fidji Simo's career trajectory is nothing short of impressive. She joined Facebook back in 2011 and climbed the ranks to become the head of the Facebook app in 2019. During her time there, she was at the helm of key features like the News Feed, Stories, live video, and more, significantly boosting the company's advertising revenue. In 2021, Instacart snagged her as their CEO, and under her leadership, they went public in record time—just two years later!
Interestingly, Simo has been an OpenAI board member since last year, which shows her deep involvement and commitment to the AI world. However, she won't be jumping ship from Instacart just yet. In a heartfelt LinkedIn post, she reassured her Instacart team that she's sticking around "for a couple of months" and will continue as CEO until they find the right successor. It's great to see such a smooth transition plan in place.
OpenAI's Growing Focus on Apps
Apps have become a cornerstone of OpenAI's business strategy, especially since ChatGPT made its debut on iOS, Android, Windows, and macOS. The company isn't stopping there; they're also reportedly working on a social network akin to X, as highlighted by The Verge back in April. With Fidji Simo at the helm of their apps business, there's no doubt that OpenAI is gearing up for some major advancements in this arena.
Nonprofit leverages AI agents to boost charity fundraising efforts
While major tech corporations promote AI "agents" as productivity boosters for businesses, one nonprofit organization is demonstrating their potential for social good. Sage Future, a philanthropic research group backed by Open Philanthropy, recently
YouTube Integrates Veo 3 AI Video Tool Directly Into Shorts Platform
YouTube Shorts to Feature Veo 3 AI Video Model This SummerYouTube CEO Neal Mohan revealed during his Cannes Lions keynote that the platform's cutting-edge Veo 3 AI video generation technology will debut on YouTube Shorts later this summer. This follo
Top AI Labs Warn Humanity Is Losing Grasp on Understanding AI Systems
In an unprecedented show of unity, researchers from OpenAI, Google DeepMind, Anthropic and Meta have set aside competitive differences to issue a collective warning about responsible AI development. Over 40 leading scientists from these typically riv
September 9, 2025 at 6:30:31 PM EDT
Cette annonce montre qu'OpenAI veut vraiment conquérir le marché grand public ! Avec l'expérience de Fidji Simo chez Facebook et Instacart, ils ont trouvé la personne parfaite pour rendre leurs produits plus accessibles. Ça promet des innovations intéressantes... mais est-ce qu'ils ne risquent pas de trop s'éloigner de leur cœur de métier initial ? 🤔
0
August 24, 2025 at 3:01:19 AM EDT
Fidji Simo jumping from Instacart to OpenAI? Big move! Excited to see how her app expertise shapes AI tools. 🚀
0
August 17, 2025 at 11:00:59 PM EDT
Wow, Fidji Simo jumping from Instacart to OpenAI is huge! Her Facebook app experience could really shake things up. Curious to see how she’ll push AI apps forward—big potential but also big pressure! 😎
0
August 17, 2025 at 7:00:59 AM EDT
Fidji Simo jumping from Instacart to OpenAI? That's a bold move! Excited to see how her app expertise shapes AI tools. 🚀
0
August 5, 2025 at 3:00:59 PM EDT
Fidji Simo jumping from Instacart to OpenAI? That's a bold move! Excited to see how her app expertise shakes up AI development. 🚀
0
August 4, 2025 at 11:00:59 PM EDT
Fidji Simo joining OpenAI is a game-changer! Her experience at Facebook and Instacart could really shake up their app strategy. Excited to see what new features they roll out! 😎
0
