OpenAI Co-founder John Schulman Joins Anthropic, President Greg Brockman Takes Sabbatical

In a notable shakeup within the artificial intelligence (AI) community, one of OpenAI's co-founders, John Schulman, has departed from the company to join Anthropic, a rival AI startup. This transition marks a significant movement in the AI industry, given Schulman's pivotal role at OpenAI, particularly in the development of ChatGPT. His shift to Anthropic underscores the competitive and dynamic nature of the AI sector, where talent is continually on the move in pursuit of new and impactful opportunities.

John Schulman announced his departure on the social media platform X, expressing his intention to focus more deeply on AI alignment—ensuring AI behaves as intended. Schulman has been instrumental in advancing OpenAI’s efforts in this area, leading important projects that fine-tune AI models to follow human instructions. He expressed his belief that at Anthropic, he will be able to gain new perspectives and collaborate with researchers deeply engaged in the aspects of AI he is most passionate about.

The decision to leave was not prompted by any dissatisfaction with OpenAI's support for alignment research. In fact, Schulman acknowledged the company's strong commitment to this crucial area of AI development. Instead, his move is driven by personal ambitions and the desire to engage in more hands-on technical work. This highlights a broader trend within the tech industry where professionals seek environments that align more closely with their personal and professional goals.

Schulman’s departure from OpenAI follows the exit of other notable team members, including AI safety researcher Jan Leike, who also transitioned to Anthropic. These movements could be indicative of a broader shift or realignment within the AI safety research community. As OpenAI continues to navigate these changes, it will be crucial for the company to find suitable successors to carry forward its mission in AI safety and alignment.

Additionally, OpenAI is experiencing other significant changes within its leadership structure. Greg Brockman, the president and a co-founder of OpenAI, is taking an extended leave for the remainder of the year to relax and recharge after nine years with the company. This period will give him time to reflect and prepare for the next phase of his journey with OpenAI. Peter Deng, a product manager with prior experience at Meta, Uber, and Airtable, also left OpenAI recently, leaving some notable gaps in the team.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed his gratitude for Schulman’s contributions, highlighting his role as a brilliant researcher and a deep thinker about product and societal impacts. Altman’s message underscores the high regard in which Schulman is held by his peers and the significant influence he has had on the company’s projects and culture. The departure of such a key figure naturally raises questions about the strategic direction and future initiatives of OpenAI as it adjusts to these leadership changes.

Schulman played a crucial role at OpenAI since completing his PhD at UC Berkeley, helping to establish a strong foundation for the company’s research and development efforts. His leadership in reinforcement training and AI alignment has been instrumental in shaping the capabilities of OpenAI's generative models, such as those used in ChatGPT. His next chapter at Anthropic will be closely watched by the AI community, given his expertise and past achievements.

While OpenAI has confirmed the departures, the company has also reinforced its commitment to pushing forward with its mission. The remaining leaders, including CEO Sam Altman and co-founder Wojciech Zaremba, continue to steer the company towards its ambitious goals, including building safe and beneficial AGI (Artificial General Intelligence). The challenge now lies in maintaining momentum amid significant transitions and finding new talents to fill the void left by outgoing leaders.

The shifts within OpenAI and the broader AI research community reflect the dynamic nature of the AI field. As talents like Schulman seek new horizons and the opportunity to deepen their expertise in environments they find most conducive to innovation, companies must adapt to these changes. The impact of these transitions will likely influence the strategic directions of both OpenAI and Anthropic, as each company strives to lead in the cutting-edge and high-stakes arena of artificial intelligence.