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Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREERepair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →On September 25, 2024, OpenAI CTO Mira Murati announced she was leaving the ChatGPT maker. Later that day, CEO Sam Altman said chief research officer Bob McGrew and research vice president Barret Zoph were also departing. The executives gave different personal explanations; Altman said their decisions were independent and amicable.
What happened on September 25, 2024?
Murati announced her departure first. Later the same day, Altman announced that McGrew and Zoph would also leave OpenAI. The Associated Press reported Altman’s description of the decisions as “independently of each other and amicably”; that is his characterization of the transition, not independent confirmation of private circumstances. The Associated Press’s account covered the announcements and statements.
What reasons did the executives give?
Mira Murati
Murati said she was leaving to make room for personal exploration. As quoted by the AP, she said: “I’m stepping away because I want to create the time and space to do my own exploration.” Axios reported that she had been at OpenAI for six and a half years. Axios’s report covered her departure and the leadership changes announced that day.
Bob McGrew
McGrew, then OpenAI’s chief research officer, said he wanted time for a break. TechCrunch quoted his description of his next step as “time for [him] to take a break.” The outlet reported that McGrew joined OpenAI in January 2017 and became VP of research in 2018 before taking the chief research officer role. TechCrunch’s report includes his statement and role history.
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Barret Zoph
Zoph, then a research VP, described his departure as a personal career decision and an opportunity to consider work beyond OpenAI. TechCrunch reported that he called it “a natural point” to “explore new opportunities outside of OpenAI.” The same report identified him as leader of OpenAI’s post-training team, which works on training and improving models before deployment.
How did OpenAI frame the handover?
Altman said the timing of the departures would allow a smooth transition and described leadership changes as a natural part of a fast-growing, demanding company. Axios and TechCrunch reported two research leadership appointments: Mark Chen would become senior vice president of research, and Jakub Pachocki would become chief scientist. Those appointments describe the research transition; the cited reports do not identify a one-for-one successor to Murati as CTO.
Why was Murati’s departure especially notable?
Murati had been a prominent OpenAI leader before the 2024 announcement. In November 2023, after Altman’s departure, OpenAI named her interim CEO and said she was already leading research, product, and safety functions. OpenAI’s announcement provides that contemporary description. Her interim appointment helps explain her public prominence, but it does not establish a link between the 2023 leadership dispute and her decision to leave in 2024.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Do the announcements establish a shared reason?
No. The public explanations differed: Murati wanted time for personal exploration, McGrew wanted a break, and Zoph wanted to explore opportunities outside OpenAI. Altman said their decisions were independent and amicable. The cited contemporaneous coverage also mentioned reports about a possible restructuring and a funding round, but timing alone does not show that either caused the departures. These accounts do not establish any undisclosed shared motive.
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