OpenAI Executive Departs to Launch AI-Driven Materials Science Startup

OpenAI Executive Departs for New Venture

Liam Fedus, OpenAI's Vice President of Research for Post-Training, has announced his departure from the company to establish a new startup focused on applying artificial intelligence to materials science 1

1

. This move marks another significant exit from OpenAI, following recent departures of other high-profile executives.

Background and Motivation

Fedus, who joined OpenAI in 2022 after roles at Google Brain and academic research in physics and machine learning, played a crucial role in developing ChatGPT and advanced reasoning models like Strawberry 2

2

. His decision to leave stems from a desire to return to his roots in physics and apply AI technology to scientific research.

In a statement on X, Fedus explained, "My undergrad was in physics and I'm keen to apply this technology there. Because AI for science is one of the most strategically important areas to OpenAI and achieving [artificial superintelligence], OpenAI is planning to invest in and partner with my new company" 1

1

.

The Emerging Field of AI in Materials Science

Fedus' new venture will enter the nascent but rapidly growing field of AI-driven materials science. This area has seen significant interest from major tech companies:

1. Google DeepMind: In 2023, DeepMind's AI system, Graph Networks for Materials Exploration (Gnome), reportedly discovered 2.2 million new crystals, including 380,000 stable materials with potential applications in future technologies 3

   3

   .

2. Microsoft: Recently unveiled two AI tools for materials discovery - MatterGen and MatterSim. MatterGen predicts materials with unique properties based on scientific principles, while MatterSim assesses the stability and viability of MatterGen's predictions 3

   3

   .

OpenAI's Recent Executive Departures

Fedus' exit is part of a broader trend of high-profile departures from OpenAI:

• Ilya Sutskever, chief scientist and co-founder, resigned in May 2024 to launch Safe Superintelligence (SSI).
• Mira Murati, chief technology officer, left in September 2024 after over six years to found Thinking Machines Lab.
• Bob McGrew, chief research officer, and Barret Zoph, vice president of research, also recently announced their departures.
• Alec Radford, a lead author of the original GPT paper, left to pursue independent research 2

  2

  .

Future Implications

The departure of Fedus and the creation of his new startup, backed by OpenAI, highlight the growing importance of AI applications in scientific fields, particularly materials science. This development could potentially accelerate innovations in new materials discovery, impacting various industries from electronics to energy storage and beyond.