--- title: "Top OpenAI Researcher Quits, References “Conspiracy Theories”" description: "OpenAI has lost yet another of its founders — though in the case of computer vision expert Andrej Karpathy, this is his second exodus." date: "2024-02-14" modified: "2024-02-14" authors: - name: "Noor Al-Sibai" job_title: "Senior Staff Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/nooralsibai" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/top-openai-researcher-quits" categories: - "Artificial Intelligence" - "OpenAI" tags: - "andrej karpathy" - "OpenAI" - "tesla" - "the digest" --- # Top OpenAI Researcher Quits, References “Conspiracy Theories” ![OpenAI has lost yet another of its founders — though in the case of computer vision expert Andrej Karpathy, this is his second exodus.]() *\Image: Michael Macor / SF Chronicle via Getty / Futurism\* ## Fool Me Twice OpenAI has lost yet another of its founders — though in the case of [computer vision expert]() Andrej Karpathy, this is his second exodus. First [reported by *The Information*]() and later [confirmed by the computer scientist himself]() on the social network owned by his fellow departed cofounder Elon Musk, Karpathy's exit marks the first major staff shakeup since last November's debacle involving the firing and re-hiring of CEO Sam Altman. "I left OpenAI yesterday," Karpathy tweeted. "First of all nothing 'happened' and it’s not a result of any particular event, issue or drama." Back in 2017, [Karpathy left OpenAI]() for the first time to join Tesla as the [company's first head of AI](), overseeing its Autopilot efforts — which occurred, on the timeline of OpenAI departures, before [Musk's exit in 2018]() over disagreements about the firm's direction. He stayed at Tesla until the summer of 2022, when he [abruptly left *that* position](), and six months later [announced on X-formerly-Twitter]() that he'd be rejoining OpenAI. ## But Actually Though he didn't explicitly mention the [elephant in the room](), Karpathy referenced in his tweet some "conspiracy theories" about his departure, which he said he found amusing. Beyond that, it's hard to say whether the "[Turkey-Shoot Clusterfuck]()," as some Microsoft employees called [OpenAI's Thanksgiving massacre](), had any bearing on the scientist's exit — though per the man itself, his last year at the company had "actually... been really great." "The team is really strong, the people are wonderful, and the roadmap is very exciting, and I think we all have a lot to look forward to," Karpathy tweeted. "My immediate plan is to work on my personal projects and see what happens. Those of you who’ve followed me for a while may have a sense for what that might look like." It's surprising that the first major OpenAI exit since the CEO fiasco is Karpathy and not his fellow co-founder [Ilya Sutskever](), the company's embattled head sciezntist whose [position has been in jeopardy]() since last November's Red Wedding because, you know, he [voted to oust Altman](). **More on OpenAI:** [*Protesters Swarm OpenAI*]() ## Author At Futurism, I've often been drawn to unpacking the narratives that underlie technological, scientific and medical progress, with a special interest in areas of conflict and ambiguity that end up setting agendas and steering the fates of both elites and the hoi polloi. I'm a committed generalist, but I often find myself returning to work involving NASA and the private space sector, the effects of AI on media and society, and the mechanics of the pharmaceutical industry, with a specific focus on the spread of GLP-1 drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy. Prior to Futurism, I worked for publications ranging from Media Matters and Truthdig to Raw Story and Bustle. I'm also the author of "Myspace Scene Queens," a 2024 title in Instar Books' acclaimed "Remember the Internet" series. My work at Futurism has been cited by outlets including the New Yorker, Slate, Nieman Lab, the Verge, the MIT Technology Review, the Sunday Times, and the Daily Beast. I grew up in North Carolina, attended the University of North Carolina at Asheville, and now live in Brooklyn, New York. In my free time, I'm an avid reader and music fan; you can probably find me at a local poetry reading, concert, underground rave, or DJ set. I'm the proud parent of an ineffable orange cat named Mee-Mow. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()