OpenAI's longtime COO Brad Lightcap departs to 'start something new'

Brad Lightcap, one of OpenAI's longest-serving executives, announced Tuesday that he is leaving the company to start something new. In an internal message shared with staff, he described the decision as bittersweet.

Lightcap joined OpenAI in 2018 and spent four years as the company's chief financial officer before rising to chief operating officer, a role he held from 2022 until earlier this year. Amid a broader reshuffling of executive roles, he then moved to lead special projects within the company. Before OpenAI, Lightcap worked alongside CEO Sam Altman at venture capital firm Y Combinator.

In his farewell note, Lightcap reflected on having built many of the company's earliest operational and business teams, spanning finance, legal, people operations, corporate security, and partnerships. He said one of the most rewarding aspects of his time there was watching these teams mature under strong leadership.

Hints at a new venture

Lightcap offered few specifics about his next move but said he had spent recent months thinking about what lies ahead and what could stand in the way of the mission's success. He said he believes there are important new challenges the world will need to address as it enters this next period, and promised to share more details soon.

His exit comes as OpenAI prepares for an initial public offering of major industry significance, a period marked by significant turnover among the company's top leadership. In July, the company's second-in-command, Fidji Simo, who oversaw AGI development, announced her own departure. Other executives have also recently left, including Bill Peebles, former head of the now-discontinued video generator Sora, and Kevin Weil, who led the company's science division.