ChatGPT maker OpenAI on Friday reacted to whistleblower Suchir Balaji's death, saying that he was a "valued member" of their team. The Sam Altman-led company's statement comes days after the mother of Mr Balaji - who was found dead in his San Francisco apartment in November - criticised and blamed OpenAI for her son's death.
"Suchir was a valued member of our team and we are still heartbroken by his passing. We continue to feel his loss deeply. We have reached out to the San Francisco Police Department and have offered our assistance if it's needed. Law enforcement are the right authorities in this situation, and we trust them to continue sharing updates as needed," OpenAI said in a statement.
It added that "out of respect", they will not comment further on the issue.
— OpenAI Newsroom (@OpenAINewsroom) January 16, 2025
Mr Balaji, who died in November, had turned a whistleblower against OpenAI. He had publicly raised ethical concerns about the AI giant's practices.
An initial investigation concluded that Mr Balaji's death was an act of suicide. However, since then, his family has called for an FBI investigation. They also highlighted several lapses and alleging that Mr Balaji was murdered. Following this, the San Francisco Police Department reopened the case as an "active investigation", but did not share any further details.
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