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John Schulman, co-founder of OpenAI, has left the company to join Anthropic, an AI startup backed by Amazon and Google.
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Schulman’s departure follows other key exits, including co-founder Ilya Sutskever and Jan Leike, who also joined Anthropic.
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OpenAI continues to prioritize AI safety, despite the departures, and is collaborating with the US AI Safety Institute.
John Schulman, a co-founder of OpenAI, has announced his departure from the company to join Anthropic, an AI startup funded by Amazon and Google. Schulman played a crucial role in developing AI models for ChatGPT and was also involved in ensuring AI safety. His decision to leave was driven by a desire to focus more on AI alignment and hands-on technical work.
Schulman’s departure follows a series of key exits from OpenAI, including co-founder Ilya Sutskever and Jan Leike, who also joined Anthropic. Despite these departures, OpenAI remains committed to AI safety and is collaborating with the US AI Safety Institute to advance AI evaluation science.
OpenAI has faced a turbulent period, with the board ousting CEO Sam Altman in November, only to reinstate him later. However, the company continues to prioritize AI safety, dedicating 20% of its computing resources to safety initiatives.
I shared the following note with my OpenAI colleagues today:
I’ve made the difficult decision to leave OpenAI. This choice stems from my desire to deepen my focus on AI alignment, and to start a new chapter of my career where I can return to hands-on technical work. I’ve decided…
— John Schulman (@johnschulman2) August 6, 2024
