A former OpenAI employee turned whistleblower was found dead, reportedly by suicide, in his San Francisco apartment.
Suchir Balaji, 26, was found dead inside his San Francisco apartment on November 26.
The San Fransisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has ruled Balaji’s death as a suicide.
After launching an investigation into Baliji’s death, the San Fransisco Police Department said there’s no evidence of foul play.
A spokesperson for Open AI stated, “We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news today and our hearts go out to Suchir’s loved ones during this difficult time.”
In October, in an interview with The New York Times, Balaji claimed that OpenAI violated U.S. copyright laws which garnered worldwide attention.
Suchir Balaji, Former OpenAI Researcher, Whistleblower Called Out ChatGPT Grey Areas; Who Was He?#DNAVideos | #SuchirBalaji | #OpenAI | #ChatGPT | #ElonMusk | #Sanfransisco | #WistleBlower
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— DNA (@dna) December 14, 2024
Per Fox News:
A former OpenAI employee and whistleblower, Suchir Balaji, was recently found dead in his apartment in San Francisco, California.
The San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has identified Balaji, 26, as the deceased person, according to the San Jose Mercury News. The manner of death has been ruled suicide.
Balaji was found dead in his Buchanan Street apartment on November 26, a spokesperson for the San Francisco Police Department told the outlet. First responders were called to his home to perform a wellness check, and no evidence of foul play was found during the initial probe.
“We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news today and our hearts go out to Suchir’s loved ones during this difficult time,” a spokesperson for OpenAI told Fox News Digital.
This comes after Balaji, an AI researcher, raised concerns about OpenAI breaking copyright law in an interview with The New York Times in October.
Elon Musk, an early investor and board member of OpenAI who has since filed several lawsuits against the company, responded to Balaji’s death by writing, “Hmm.”
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 14, 2024
