Suchir Balaji, a 26-year-old former OpenAI employee who accused the company of copyright violations, was found dead at his apartment in San Francisco on November 26. The city’s Chief Medical Examiner confirmed the death and identified Balaji. The cause of death was determined to be suicide, and no foul play was suspected.
Balaji, who had resigned from OpenAI in August after nearly four years at the company, had been vocal about his concerns regarding the impact of technologies like ChatGPT on society. In an interview with The New York Times in October, he explained his decision to leave, saying he no longer wanted to contribute to technologies he believed would cause more harm than good.
His death came just a day after he was named in a copyright lawsuit filed against OpenAI. The company, along with its major investor Microsoft, is currently facing multiple lawsuits from media organizations, including the New York Times, accusing them of violating copyright laws.
OpenAI expressed its sorrow over Balaji’s passing, with a spokesperson 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.”
