Former OpenAI Researcher Suchir Balaji Found Dead in San Francisco Apartment

A 26-year-old former OpenAI researcher, Suchir Balaji, was found dead in his San Francisco apartment in recent weeks, CNBC has confirmed. Balaji, who left OpenAI earlier this year, had publicly raised concerns about the company’s alleged violations of U.S. copyright law in relation to the development of its popular ChatGPT chatbot.

According to the San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, the manner of death was determined to be suicide. David Serrano Sewell, the office’s executive director, confirmed that Balaji’s next of kin have been notified.

The San Francisco Police Department responded to a call on the afternoon of November 26, requesting a “wellbeing check” at an apartment on Buchanan Street. Officers found a deceased adult male and reported no evidence of foul play during their initial investigation.