Suthir Balaji, a 26-year-old Indian-born former employee of artificial intelligence giant OpenAI, was found dead in his Buchanan Street apartment on Thanksgiving Day. The San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed there was no evidence of foul play and the death was a suicide.
In an exclusive interview with Business Insider, his mother Poornima Rama Rao revealed that her son was disillusioned with the trajectory of AI development, particularly OpenAI’s pivot to commercialization through ChatGPT.
“He felt that AI was harmful to humanity,” Rama Rao said, explaining how Balaji’s once boundless optimism about AI’s potential turned into deep skepticism. I explained. Rama Rao said. “This doesn’t seem like a normal situation.”
Reflecting on his sudden death, she added: “It doesn’t seem like a normal situation.”
rise of genius
Balaji’s journey was extraordinary from the beginning. By the age of 2, he was able to formulate complex sentences, and by the age of 13, he was building his own computer. He wrote a scientific paper on chip design at age 14 and became national champion in a national programming contest as a high school senior.
(Also read: ChatGPT down? Users panic, flock to X to share memes: ‘I’m addicted to it’)
Balaji, who was hired as an intern at OpenAI in 2018 and then full-time in 2021, was recognized for his technical talent. However, concerns about the social impact of AI led him to become a whistleblower.
Whistleblowing against OpenAI
Three months before his death, Balaji publicly accused OpenAI of violating U.S. copyright law in developing ChatGPT. In an interview with The New York Times, he criticized the company for harming companies and creators whose data was allegedly used without permission.
“If you believe what I believe, you have to leave the company,” he said.
Balaji’s accusations add to an ongoing lawsuit filed against OpenAI by authors, programmers, and journalists alleging that OpenAI illegally used copyrighted material to train its models. are.
OpenAI reaction
OpenAI expressed its condolences, saying Balaji was a valued team member. “We are shocked to learn of this tragic news and have been in touch with Mr Still’s family to offer our full support,” a spokesperson said.
OpenAI acknowledged Balaji’s concerns, but emphasized its commitment to addressing ethical challenges in AI.
(Also read: ‘I rejected the CEO today’: Woman turns down job after interviewer compares her to ChatGPT)
grieving family
Balaji’s mother described her son as “perfect” and “ahead of his time” and recalled his precocious talent and determination. She also revealed that she was initially resistant to his moves early in his career, but later came to realize his extraordinary abilities.
