High-Level Executive Departures and Corporate Restructuring Process Continue at OpenAI
At OpenAI, where more than a dozen executives have departed since the beginning of the year, infrastructure and product teams are being restructured under the leadership of President Greg Brockman. The company aims to cut spending and increase revenues ahead of its expected IPO in 2027.
Artificial intelligence research company OpenAI has seen the departure of more than a dozen top executives since the beginning of the year, including its chief operating officer, chief revenue officer, and chief marketing officer. Internal restructuring steps continue with the departure of Head of Data Centers Chris Malone and President Greg Brockman increasing his management influence, as the AI giant, which has filed confidentially for an IPO, focuses on revenue-driven projects.
Executive Departures and Changes in the Infrastructure Team
In addition to Sam Altman's senior assistant, OpenAI's chief operating, revenue, and marketing officers, as well as various team leaders, have stepped down from their roles. While some of the departures stemmed from health issues, others occurred during a restructuring process driven by Altman's decision to cut costly side projects and focus on revenue-generating areas.
Chris Malone, who joined the company as head of data centers in March 2025, stepped down from his role last week. A company statement noted that the departure came following the restructuring of the infrastructure team led by Vice President Sachin Katti. Following the departure of Malone, who previously reported directly to President Greg Brockman, infrastructure and product teams now report to Brockman.
Greg Brockman's Returning Role in Management
Co-founder and President Greg Brockman played a major role in setting up the initial infrastructure, but transferred most of his management responsibilities after Sam Altman became CEO in 2019. Having returned to the company following a brief leave of absence in 2024, Brockman's leadership influence has increased once again with the latest restructuring.
Thibault Sottiaux, who manages the company's API and application products, stated that infrastructure and product teams report to Brockman, noting that at the end of the day, everyone reports to Greg Brockman. Following the departure of experienced executives who previously served at the company, such as Fidji Simo and Kevin Weil, Brockman's influence in business development and strategy stands out.
IPO Plans and Financial Structure
In June, OpenAI filed a confidential IPO application with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). While companies filing confidentially typically go public within about five months, OpenAI's IPO is not expected to take place until 2027. Rival AI company Anthropic is also making IPO plans, with reports indicating that Anthropic is profitable, while OpenAI's losses are growing alongside its revenue increase.
Having increased the user base of its desktop application for autonomous coding and workplace tasks by approximately 15 million subscribers in the last two months, the company has now launched the GPT-5.6 model. Ahead of its IPO, the company aims to strengthen its financial statements by reducing expenses and increasing revenues.