OpenAI Whistle blower, Suchir Balaji is dead

Former OpenAI researcher-turned-whistleblower Suchir Balaji was tragically found dead in his San Francisco apartment on November 26th.  

According to reports from The Mercury, medical examiners have stated there was no evidence of foul play, and his death is believed to be a suicide.  

Suchir Balaji trended in October after publicly accusing OpenAI of violating U.S. copyright laws through its generative AI application, ChatGPT. 

He was featured in a New York Times profile, where he highlighted what he believed were ongoing fair use violations committed by the AI model.  

Just days before his death, on November 18th, the New York Times filed a letter in federal court naming Balaji as a person with “unique and relevant documents” to support their ongoing lawsuit against OpenAI. 

The lawsuit accuses OpenAI and Microsoft of using the work of journalists and editors without proper authorization.

Paying tribute to Suchir, OPEN AI tells CNBC:  “We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news today and our hearts go out to Suchir’s loved ones during this difficult time,”