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OpenAI employees reportedly sell pre-IPO shares amid burnout and reshuffles
The reporting also points to multiple senior exits and the disbanding of a model risk preparedness team at the end of July, adding pressure as the company prepares for its expected IPO.
OpenAI is expected to launch an IPO soon, but Financial Times reporting says the company is also contending with a talent exodus that includes staff cashing out pre-IPO shares. Several current and former employees told the outlet that tender sales have become a way out amid what they described as burnout and frustration tied to frequent reorganizations.
The article says some employees have sold enough to make more than $10 million, and that internal leadership churn has included executive shuffles and several senior departures. It cites OpenAI chief revenue officer Denise Dresser, who was appointed in December, as the most recent high-profile exit.
Other departures highlighted in the reporting include operating chief Brad Lightcap, who left about four months after his hire, and Fidji Simo, who stepped away from a full-time role in July after a period of medical leave. It also lists additional executive exits, including Kevin Weil and marketing chief Kate Rouch, as well as AI safety team departures led by Josh Achiam, Johannes Heidecke, and Chloé Bakalar.
The Financial Times also reports that OpenAI disbanded its preparedness team at the end of July, a group intended to assess whether its models could pose severe or catastrophic risks, with senior staff reportedly reassigned to other responsibilities. The outlet ties the reshuffling and exits to uncertainty as OpenAI seeks to justify a reported $852 billion valuation ahead of the IPO.