OpenAI has confirmed that Fidji Simo is stepping down from her full-time position as the company’s artificial general intelligence chief to assume a part-time advisory role. The decision follows a prolonged medical leave that Simo first announced in April after a severe flare-up of a seven-year neuroimmune condition. Originally appointed as CEO of applications before taking on the AGI leadership title, Simo cited the unexpectedly complex and lengthy recovery process as the primary reason for her departure, noting the personal challenge of building the future of AI while managing a chronic illness. Simo’s health announcement in April triggered a series of executive transitions within the company. Chief Operating Officer Brad Lightcap and Chief Marketing Officer Kate Rouch similarly stepped back from their day-to-day duties to prioritize their health, with Rouch planning a narrower return once her condition stabilizes. During Simo’s absence, OpenAI President Greg Brockman assumed control of product development, managing business operations alongside Chief Security Officer Jason Kwon, Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar, and Chief Revenue Officer Denise Dresser. In mid-May, OpenAI formalized a strategic reorganization to streamline its development efforts. Brockman was officially appointed to lead product strategy and scaling across four core pillars: the core product and platform, critical enterprise industries, consumer applications, and core infrastructure. The restructuring was designed to accelerate the company’s AI agent objectives by consolidating its offerings into a single agentic platform, a move that includes merging ChatGPT and Codex into a unified experience. Simo will continue to contribute to OpenAI’s direction in a reduced capacity while focusing on her recovery. CEO Sam Altman publicly acknowledged the transition, expressing disappointment over her departure while commending her contributions to the company’s mission. The leadership adjustments reflect OpenAI’s ongoing effort to consolidate executive oversight and accelerate product integration amid its aggressive development timeline.