OpenAI Applications Chief Fidji Simo Steps Down From Full-Time Role Over Chronic Illness Recovery, Says ‘I Failed to Make This Decision Many Times Before’

Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below.

Fidji Simo stepped down from her full-time role as OpenAI‘s president of applications on Thursday, transitioning to a part-time advisory position after her chronic illness recovery proved longer than she had anticipated.

In her X post, Simo wrote that she “shared with the OpenAI team that I have decided to leave my full-time role at OpenAI and transition to being a part-time advisor.”

She added that the truth is that she is “only making this decision now because I failed to make it many times before.”

Don’t Miss:

Simo said she took medical leave three months ago after a “severe exacerbation” of a chronic illness she has lived with for seven years. She recalled once declining a full year of medical leave offered by Meta, saying CEO Mark Zuckerberg had told her to “play the long game.”

Responding to Simo’s post, Rishi N. Reddy, a colleague and co-founder, called Simo “an n of 1,” writing that “sometimes the harder thing isn’t to keep pushing, it’s knowing when to prioritize you.”

@fidjissimo is truly an n of 1. Sometimes the harder thing isn’t to keep pushing, it’s knowing when to prioritize you. If there’s anyone who will come through this stronger and continue making an extraordinary impact on the world, it’s her. Grateful to call her a colleague,…

— Rishi N. Reddy (@rishi_n_reddy) July 9, 2026

See Also: Avoid the #1 Investing Mistake: How Your ‘Safe’ Holdings Could Be Costing You Big Time

From Instacart to OpenAI’s Applications Chief

OpenAI appointed Simo, then Instacart‘s CEO, to the newly created role of chief of applications in May 2025, reporting directly to CEO Sam Altman.

Simo went on medical leave in April, resulting in a shuffle in leadership at OpenAI. Greg Brockman oversaw product in Simo’s absence. Brad Lightcap, OpenAI’s chief operating officer, transitioned to a new role focused on “special projects.” Denise Dresser, the company’s chief revenue officer, assumed most of Lightcap’s responsibilities.

Simo’s change in role follows a string of senior departures at OpenAI this year, including its head of private equity leaving for Google and a sales leader departing for Thrive Capital.

Simo also thanked OpenAI CEO Altman, President Brockman and the board for their support. In her post, she said she remains committed to working toward disease cures through OpenAI and her involvement with Chronicle BioAI and CODA Research.

Photo Courtesy: Shutterstock

Read Next: 

Building Wealth Across More Than Just the Market

Building a resilient portfolio means thinking beyond a single asset or market trend. Economic cycles shift, sectors rise and fall, and no one investment performs well in every environment. That’s why many investors look to diversify with platforms that provide access to real estate, fixed-income opportunities, precious metals, and even self-directed retirement accounts. By spreading exposure across multiple asset classes, it becomes easier to manage risk, capture steady returns, and create long-term wealth that isn’t tied to the fortunes of just one company or industry.

Arrived

Backed by Jeff Bezos, Arrived Homes makes real estate investing accessible with a low barrier to entry. Investors can buy fractional shares of single-family rentals and vacation homes starting with as little as $100. This allows everyday investors to diversify into real estate, collect rental income, and build long-term wealth without needing to manage properties directly.

FarmTogether

Farmland has historically held its value through market volatility and delivered returns uncorrelated to stocks and bonds. For accredited investors, FarmTogether offers direct access to high-quality U.S. farmland starting at $15,000 — fully managed, with no landlord headaches.

Immersed

Immersed is building technology for the future of work through spatial computing. Known for its AR/VR productivity platform that enables users to work across multiple virtual screens, the company has grown to more than 1.5 million users worldwide. Immersed is also developing Visor, a lightweight headset designed specifically for professional productivity, positioning the company at the intersection of remote work, extended reality (XR), and next-generation computing.

Fundrise

Private real estate and private credit can add income and stability to a stock-heavy portfolio. Fundrise offers access to diversified private real estate and credit strategies through an easy-to-use platform, with professionally managed portfolios designed to generate passive income and long-term growth.

Realberry

Institutional-quality real estate has traditionally been difficult for individual investors to access. Realberry gives accredited investors direct access to private real estate opportunities backed by a team with 35 years of experience, $3.4 billion in assets under management, and $481 million in cumulative distributions paid to investors as of Q4 2025, according to the company. With a portfolio spanning 13 million square feet across seven U.S. states, Realberry focuses on acquiring, developing, and managing real estate with an emphasis on long-term value creation while its principals often invest alongside clients to help align interests.

Mode Mobile

Mode Mobile is changing the way people interact with their phones by letting users earn money from the same apps and activities they already use every day. Instead of platforms keeping all the advertising revenue, Mode Mobile shares a portion back with users who engage with content, play games, and scroll on their devices. Named one of Deloitte’s fastest-growing software companies in North America, the company has built a large beta user base and is scaling a model that turns everyday smartphone usage into a potential income stream. 

EquityMultiple 

For accredited investors looking beyond stocks and bonds, EquityMultiple provides access to vetted commercial real estate deals starting at $5,000, with only ~5% of opportunities passing their due diligence process.

© 2026 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.