OpenAI loses key AI researchers as company shifts focus from ambitious projects
On Friday, Kevin Weil and Bill Peebles revealed their exits from OpenAI, indicating a change in the company’s research focus. Weil, who spearheaded the OpenAI for Science initiative and developed the Prism platform, and Peebles, the creator of the now-defunct AI video tool Sora, which was discontinued last month due to expenses, are both departing. The OpenAI for Science team, introduced in October 2025, will be integrated into other departments. Prior to their resignations, Weil's team launched GPT-Rosalind to enhance life sciences research. Peebles mentioned that Sora's research needed to diverge from the primary roadmap. Additionally, OpenAI's CTO Srinivas Narayanan is also resigning to prioritize family time, signaling a shift towards commercially driven AI solutions.
Key facts
- Kevin Weil and Bill Peebles announced their departures from OpenAI on Friday
- Weil led OpenAI for Science, which developed the Prism platform
- Peebles was the researcher behind the AI video tool Sora
- Sora was shut down last month after losing an estimated $1 million per day in compute costs
- OpenAI for Science is being absorbed into other research teams
- Weil's team released GPT-Rosalind, a model for life sciences research, just before his departure
- Srinivas Narayanan, chief technology officer of enterprise applications, is also leaving OpenAI
- OpenAI is consolidating around enterprise AI and its forthcoming "superapp"
Entities
Artists
- Kevin Weil
- Bill Peebles
- Srinivas Narayanan
Institutions
- OpenAI
- Wired