Suchir Balaji, a 26-year-old former researcher at OpenAI, has tragically been found dead in his San Francisco apartment in late November.
Balaji, who had publicly raised concerns about OpenAI’s practices earlier this year, was discovered by authorities after a wellbeing check was requested on November 26.
David Serrano Sewell, executive director of the San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, confirmed that the cause of death was ruled a suicide.
The police, who responded to the scene, found no signs of foul play in their preliminary investigation.
Balaji had left OpenAI earlier in 2024, citing serious concerns about the company’s use of copyrighted materials to train its popular AI models, including ChatGPT.
He alleged that OpenAI was violating U.S. copyright law by utilizing digital data and content without proper consent from creators.
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His remarks on the issue were published by The New York Times in October, where he expressed his belief that the rapid development of chatbots like ChatGPT would have harmful consequences for people and businesses who produce the content used to train such systems.
In response to his death, OpenAI expressed deep sorrow, with a spokesperson saying, “We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news today, and our hearts go out to Suchir’s loved ones during this difficult time.”
OpenAI is currently facing several lawsuits related to its use of copyrighted material for AI training purposes. This includes a high-profile case filed by multiple news outlets seeking billions of dollars in damages.
The company has also had to defend its practices in public statements, with CEO Sam Altman arguing that the specific data sources used for training do not have a significant impact on the company’s work.
Balaji’s untimely death adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing legal and ethical debates surrounding AI technology.