Fidji Simo, the current CEO of Instacart, is stepping into a major new role at OpenAI. She will become the CEO of Applications at the AI company later this year. Simo already serves on OpenAI’s board but will now leave Instacart and focus full-time on OpenAI’s mission.
Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, confirmed the news in a blog post. He explained that Simo will lead the group responsible for turning OpenAI’s research into real-world tools. Altman will continue leading research, compute, and applications overall.
A New Chapter for Fidji Simo at OpenAI
Altman praised Simo’s impact during her time on OpenAI’s board. “Fidji is uniquely qualified to lead this group,” he said. “She has already contributed a great deal.” She’ll transition out of Instacart in the coming months and officially join OpenAI later this year.
While OpenAI didn’t share specific details, Altman said Simo will also help scale core business operations.
Simo brings deep experience in product management and monetization. Before Instacart, she spent more than ten years at Meta, leading key projects like Facebook ads and video. She eventually became head of the Facebook app. At Instacart, she helped take the company public in 2023.
She will remain Chair of Instacart’s Board, but a current executive at the company will soon replace her as CEO. An official announcement is expected shortly.
Simo called her new role a privilege. “OpenAI has the potential to accelerate human potential at a pace never seen before,” she said. “I’m committed to shaping these applications for the public good.”
