OpenAI Co-Founder John Schulman Departs for Rival Anthropic
In a significant move that has sent ripples through the artificial intelligence community, John Schulman, a co-founder of OpenAI, has announced his departure from the company to join rival AI startup Anthropic. Schulman, who played a pivotal role in developing the widely-used ChatGPT and led OpenAI’s alignment science efforts, cited a desire to focus more on AI alignment and engage in hands-on technical work as the primary reasons for his decision.
Despite his departure, Schulman emphasized that OpenAI’s leadership remains committed to investing in alignment research, and his move is a personal choice rather than a reflection of the company’s direction. The transition to Anthropic, an AI startup backed by Amazon, represents an opportunity for Schulman to gain new perspectives and collaborate with like-minded individuals in the field of AI development and safety.
A Wave of Departures at OpenAI
Schulman’s exit follows a series of notable departures from OpenAI in recent months. Ilya Sutskever, another prominent figure in the AI world, left to focus on other projects, while Peter Deng exited after a brief tenure with the company. Additionally, OpenAI president and co-founder Greg Brockman has taken a sabbatical until the end of the year, citing a need to relax before continuing his work on creating safe artificial general intelligence (AGI).
With Schulman’s departure, only two of the original eleven founders remain at OpenAI: CEO Sam Altman and Wojciech Zaremba. Altman expressed his gratitude for Schulman’s contributions, describing him as a brilliant researcher and deep thinker about product and society. The loss of such a key figure underscores the dynamic and competitive nature of the AI industry.
Implications for the AI Landscape
This high-profile move highlights the intense competition in the AI sector, particularly between OpenAI and Anthropic, both based in San Francisco and at the forefront of developing advanced generative AI models. As these companies vie for talent and push the boundaries of AI technology, the focus on alignment and safety remains a crucial concern for many researchers and industry leaders.
Schulman’s transition to Anthropic may signal a shift in the balance of power within the AI research community, potentially influencing the direction of future developments in artificial intelligence. As the industry continues to evolve rapidly, the movement of key personnel between competing firms will likely play a significant role in shaping the future of AI technology and its impact on society.
