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Former OpenAI Researcher Suchir Balaji Found Dead at 26
Authorities reported that Suchir Balaji, a 26-year-old former researcher at OpenAI, was discovered dead in his San Francisco apartment last month. Balaji had recently risen to prominence as a whistleblower, voicing concerns about the company’s practices and their legality.
The San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed that Balaji’s death was a suicide and indicated there was no evidence of foul play involved. His body was located on November 26, following a welfare check initiated by a call to the police.
Balaji’s family is organizing a memorial service for later this month at the India Community Center in Milpitas, California. His parents, Poornima Ramarao and Balaji Ramamurthy, expressed their grief and uncertainty surrounding their son’s passing, describing him as a “happy, smart and brave young man.” They are actively seeking answers about the circumstances leading to his death.
A representative for OpenAI expressed condolences, stating, “We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news, and our hearts go out to Suchir’s loved ones during this difficult time.”
Originally from Cupertino, California, Balaji dedicated four years to OpenAI before departing in August. In an October interview with The New York Times, he alleged that the organization violated U.S. copyright laws while developing the AI tool ChatGPT, a program he played a significant role in creating. Balaji later communicated to the Associated Press his intentions to testify in legal actions directed against OpenAI for copyright infringement.
Currently, OpenAI faces a series of lawsuits from various news publishers in the U.S. and Canada, along with individual plaintiffs, including The New York Times and authors such as John Grisham and Jodie Picoult. They allege that OpenAI has unlawfully used their intellectual property to train its chatbot. Interestingly, Elon Musk, who was a co-founder of OpenAI, has publicly criticized the company’s conversion to a for-profit model, characterizing this transformation as “illegal.”
John Schulman, another OpenAI co-founder who also left the company in August, shared a tribute to Balaji, which was posted on social media by Balaji’s father. Schulman expressed his sorrow over Balaji’s passing, calling him “one of my favorite and most talented collaborators.”
As of now, CBS News has reached out to OpenAI for further comments but has not received an immediate reply.
If you or someone you know is in crisis or needs emotional support, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline provides assistance by calling or texting 988. Additional support can also be accessed through the chat service here.
For further details on mental health resources, the National Alliance on Mental Illness HelpLine is available Monday through Friday from 10 a.m.–10 p.m. ET at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or via email at info@nami.org.
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