Suchir Balaji, a 26-year-old former employee of OpenAI and whistleblower, was found deceased in his San Francisco apartment on November 26th. The San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner ruled the death a suicide, according to the San Jose Mercury News. Balaji's family has been notified.
The San Francisco Police Department confirmed that officers responded to Balaji's Buchanan Street residence for a wellness check. Preliminary investigations revealed no signs of foul play. OpenAI expressed their condolences in a statement to Fox News Digital, stating they were "devastated" by the news and offered their sympathies to Balaji's loved ones.
Balaji's passing follows his public criticism of OpenAI's copyright practices. In an October interview with The New York Times, the AI researcher voiced concerns about the company's potential violation of copyright law, suggesting their methods could harm the internet. He subsequently resigned from OpenAI after nearly four years, claiming he believed the technology he helped develop would ultimately cause more harm than good.
In an October post on X (formerly Twitter), Balaji detailed his growing understanding of copyright and fair use during his time at OpenAI, particularly while working on ChatGPT. He expressed doubts about the viability of fair use as a defense for many generative AI products, arguing they create direct competition with the data used for their training.
OpenAI and Microsoft are currently embroiled in multiple lawsuits filed by media organizations alleging copyright infringement. Fox News Digital has contacted both the medical examiner and the San Francisco Police Department for further information.
If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please reach out to the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988 or calling 1-800-273-TALK (8255).
