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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I was totally surprised to hear OpenAI hired someone who used to run Facebook’s app team! It feels like they’re really pushing to expand their presence outside just AI research now. Wonder if this move will help them compete better with apps like Instacart in the future?
이런 고급 인재 영입은 OpenAI의 앱 개발에 대한 야심을 보여주네요. 😮 페이스북 출신이라니까 사용자 경험 부분에서 엄청난 강점이 있을 거 같은데, 앱과 AI의 결합이 어떤 혁신을 만들지 정말 궁금해요!
Интересно, как опыт Фидьи Симо в Facebook поможет OpenAI развивать свои приложения. Возможно, мы увидим больше интеграции с соцсетями? Хотя это может вызвать вопросы о приватности данных. 🤔
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 ? 🤔
Fidji Simo jumping from Instacart to OpenAI? Big move! Excited to see how her app expertise shapes AI tools. 🚀

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.
Warner Music acquires AI attribution startup Sureel AI
Warner Music Group (WMG) confirmed on Wednesday that it is acquiring Sureel AI, an artificial intelligence attribution startup. Sureel’s proprietary technology generates “AI DNA” for musical tracks, deconstructing them into constituent elements to tr
Microsoft, Azure and AI Tech Combat California Wildfire Risks
Microsoft invests in AI-driven wildfire detection, with Juan Lavista Ferres, CVP and Chief Data Scientist, discussing strategies to mitigate environmental damage.According to NASA, climate change impacts everyone on Earth, manifesting as rising tempe
I was totally surprised to hear OpenAI hired someone who used to run Facebook’s app team! It feels like they’re really pushing to expand their presence outside just AI research now. Wonder if this move will help them compete better with apps like Instacart in the future?
이런 고급 인재 영입은 OpenAI의 앱 개발에 대한 야심을 보여주네요. 😮 페이스북 출신이라니까 사용자 경험 부분에서 엄청난 강점이 있을 거 같은데, 앱과 AI의 결합이 어떤 혁신을 만들지 정말 궁금해요!
Интересно, как опыт Фидьи Симо в Facebook поможет OpenAI развивать свои приложения. Возможно, мы увидим больше интеграции с соцсетями? Хотя это может вызвать вопросы о приватности данных. 🤔
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 ? 🤔
Fidji Simo jumping from Instacart to OpenAI? Big move! Excited to see how her app expertise shapes AI tools. 🚀





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