OpenAI’s Chief Operating Officer Brad Lightcap will take charge of global growth and corporate alliances, CEO Sam Altman announced Monday, as the Microsoft-supported (MSFT.O) startup aims to solidify its lead in the booming AI sector. Altman will shift his focus to technical advancements, driving OpenAI’s research and product efforts while retaining overall leadership, the company stated.
OpenAI is collaborating with SoftBank Group (9984.T) and Oracle (ORCL.N) on the $500-billion Stargate project, building a data center network to fuel AI workloads. “Brad will oversee our global rollout, steering business strategy, critical partnerships, infrastructure, and operational efficiency to amplify our research impact,” Altman said. Lightcap, who worked with Altman at Y Combinator, joined OpenAI in 2018.
The company also broadened Chief Research Officer Mark Chen’s role to merge research with product development, Altman noted in a blog post. In February, Altman signaled plans to streamline OpenAI’s offerings, hinting at adaptability to lure fresh investment amid rising scrutiny of hefty AI expenditures. The San Francisco-based firm, currently raising $40 billion, is shifting to a for-profit structure to fund top-tier AI development, having secured $6.6 billion in October.
