A former OpenAI researcher was found dead inside his California apartment last month, authorities said. Suchir Balaji, 26, became a whistleblower against OpenAI in recent months, speaking out publicly about the company's practices and questioning whether they were legitimate.
The San Francisco Medical Examiner's Office told CBS News in a statement that Balaji died by suicide. There was no evidence of foul play.
His body was found on November 26 inside his apartment in San Francisco, where OpenAI is headquartered, according to CBS News partner BBC News reportedReferring to the police. Officials said they conducted a welfare check at Balaji's residence after receiving a call requesting him to do so.
Balaji's family told The Associated Press that they are planning a memorial for him, to be built in late December at the India Community Center in his hometown of Milpitas, California. His parents, Purnima Rama Rao and Balaji Ramamurthy, told the AP they are seeking answers about their son's death and described him as a “happy, intelligent and brave young man.”
Balaji Ramamurthy/AP
“We are deeply saddened to learn of this incredibly sad news and our condolences go out to Suchir's loved ones at this difficult time,” an OpenAI spokesperson said in a statement to The Associated Press.
Balaji, originally from Cupertino, California, worked as a researcher at OpenAI for four years before leaving the company in August. He alleged in an interview in October with the new york times OpenAI, an artificial intelligence organization co-founded by Tesla magnate Elon Musk, violated United States copyright law when developing ChatGPT, which Balaji helped create during his time with the company. Balaji later told the Associated Press that he would “try to testify” in the strongest cases of copyright infringement against his former employer.
OpenAI is now facing a set of lawsuits Various news publishers in the US and Canada, as well as some individuals – including The New York Times and authors John Grisham and Jodi Picoult – accused OpenAI of illegally using their intellectual property to train online chatbots . Although Musk was originally the co-founder of OpenAI, he has led a months-long attack against the company, most recently claiming in a lawsuit that its transformation into a for-profit company is “illegal.”
John Schulman, who also co-founded OpenAI and announced his departure from the company in August, paid tribute to Balaji after his death. in a statement Which Balaji's father posted on social media.
In it, Shulman said he was “sad to hear of Suchir's passing” and called Balaji “one of my favorite and most talented collaborators”.
CBS News contacted OpenAI but did not immediately receive a response.
If you or someone you know is in emotional distress or suicidal crisis, you can contact 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline You can also do this by calling or texting 988 Chat with 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline here,
For more information about Mental Health Care Resources and SupportThe National Alliance on Mental Illness Helpline can be reached Monday through Friday, 10am to 10pm ET, at 1-800-950-NAMI (6264) or by email. info@nami.org,