Brad Lightcap, one of the longest serving executives at OpenAI, is leaving the powerful AI lab to “start something new.”
Lightcap, who joined the company in 2018, spent four years as OpenAI’s chief financial officer. He then ascended to chief operating officer, where he served from 2022 until earlier this year when, amidst a shakeup of executive roles,he transitionedto lead special projects at the company. Prior to OpenAI, Lightcap alsoworked withCEO Sam Altman at venture capital firm Y-Combinator.
“I had the privilege of building the first versions of most of our operations and business teams – from Finance to Legal, People, CorpSec, GTM/Gov, Partnerships, and more,” Lightcap wrote in his message Tuesday. “Among the most rewarding parts of this journey for me has been watching each of these teams mature under brilliant leaders.”
In his note, Lightcap also looked ahead and hinted at a future venture while giving scant details as to what it might be.
As OpenAI preps for anIPO of industry-wide significance, the company has been undergoing a shakeup of top-level executives. In July, the company’s No. 2 executive, Fidji Simo, who led AGI development,announced thatshe would be stepping down. Other executives from less central areas of the company — includingBill Peebles, who formerly headed the company’s now deadvideo generator SoraandKevin Weil, the vice president of the company’s Science vertical — have also recently left the firm.