OpenAI Starts Building Out Its Applications Team With New CTO and $1.1B Statsig Acquisition

TL;DR

• OpenAI is expanding its Applications team under Fidji Simo, who became CEO of Applications on August 18. The Verge notes the executive reshuffle alongside a major acquisition.
• The company is acquiring Statsig, a product analytics firm, for $1.1 billion. Statsig’s founder Vijaye Raji will become OpenAI’s CTO of Applications, leading product engineering for ChatGPT and Codex and reporting to Simo.
• Srinivas Narayanan will become CTO of B2B Applications, overseeing business-side apps across startups, enterprises, and government, reporting to the COO.
• Kevin Weil shifts from Chief Product Officer to VP of AI for Science, while the former head of ChatGPT, Nick Turley, and the product team will report to Fidji Simo.
• The acquisition of Statsig will close subject to regulatory approval, and Statsig employees will become OpenAI employees while continuing to operate from Seattle.

Context and background

OpenAI has been actively restructuring its leadership to accelerate its product-focused strategy. Fidji Simo, formerly Instacart’s CEO, was appointed as the CEO of Applications and has begun assembling an executive team to drive product development, strategy, and go-to-market efforts for OpenAI’s app-centric initiatives. The weekend move also included formal confirmation of a set of executive role changes as part of a broader plan to align engineering, product, and research activity with OpenAI’s business lines. The company disclosed that, once the Statsig deal closes (pending regulatory clearance), the Statsig workforce would join OpenAI, with the Seattle-based team continuing to operate independently and serving existing customers. The Verge covered the development, noting the executive reshuffle and the acquisition in tandem. The Verge. The acquisition of Statsig—well known for its A/B testing and product analytics capabilities—positions OpenAI to deepen its product optimization toolkit across its growing suite of apps and APIs. OpenAI indicated that Vijaye Raji, Statsig’s founder and CEO, will join as CTO of Applications, overseeing product engineering for both ChatGPT and Codex and spanning core systems, infrastructure, and product integrity. Raji will report directly to Fidji Simo, signaling a strong line of sight between application-level strategy and engineering execution. The blog post from OpenAI emphasized a measured approach to integration, prioritizing continuity for current Statsig customers and minimal disruption as the team transitions to OpenAI stewardship. The regulatory status of the deal remains a prerequisite for final completion. The leadership shifts also reveal a clearer separation of responsibilities within OpenAI’s executive team. Srinivas Narayanan, who previously led engineering and oversaw the development of ChatGPT, APIs, and related technologies, will become CTO of B2B Applications, with oversight of business-facing apps for startups, enterprises, and government. Narayanan will report to COO Brad Lightcap, aligning business-scale efforts with OpenAI’s operations leadership. In parallel, Kevin Weil, the Chief Product Officer, will transition to a focus on research, taking on a new role as VP of AI for Science and working closely with Chief Research Officer Mark Chen. Weil’s former product team, including Nick Turley, will report to Fidji Simo. The Verge provides the primary account of these moves.

What’s new

• Appointment of Vijaye Raji as CTO of Applications: Raji will lead product engineering for ChatGPT and Codex, with responsibilities spanning core systems, infrastructure, and Integrity. He will report directly to Fidji Simo.
• Statsig acquisition for $1.1B: OpenAI is purchasing Statsig, a company specializing in A/B testing and related product analytics, to bolster OpenAI’s app development capabilities. Statsig employees will become OpenAI employees after closing and will remain operating out of Seattle, with a measured integration approach.
• Leadership realignment within OpenAI’s executive team: Srinivas Narayanan is reassigned as CTO of B2B Applications; Kevin Weil transitions to VP of AI for Science; Nick Turley and the broader product team will report to Fidji Simo.
• IC and governance implications: The acquisition and leadership changes emphasize a stronger focus on applications and enterprise-scale deployment across OpenAI’s product lines, while maintaining continuity for existing customers during integration. The deal is subject to regulatory approval before finalization.

Why it matters (impact for developers/enterprises)

• Enhanced product engineering for ChatGPT and Codex: With a dedicated CTO for Applications and a focused team, OpenAI signals a push to accelerate feature development, reliability, and performance across its app ecosystem. This supports developers and enterprises relying on OpenAI’s models through more robust product capabilities and more rigorous product testing.
• Advanced analytics integration at the platform level: Acquiring Statsig brings A/B testing and analytics expertise into OpenAI’s product development workflow, enabling better decision-making and iteration on features used by developers and customers. This is particularly relevant for enterprises evaluating AI-powered apps and workflows.
• Clear line of sight for B2B and enterprise adoption: Narayanan’s appointment as CTO of B2B Applications emphasizes OpenAI’s commitment to serving startups, large organizations, and government customers with dedicated leadership and tailored product strategies. This can improve enterprise onboarding, governance, and customization.
• Leadership stability for customers: OpenAI stresses continuity for Statsig’s existing customers and a staged integration approach, which helps reduce disruption for clients relying on analytics services during the transition. The Seattle-based team’s continued operation supports ongoing support and delivery during the integration window.
• Strategic alignment between product and research: Weil’s move toward AI-for-Science and the repositioning of the product team to report to Simo reflect an ongoing effort to align product management with OpenAI’s research ambitions and scientific objectives.

Technical details or Implementation (what’s technically changing)

• Scope of Raji’s role: As CTO of Applications, Vijaye Raji will lead product engineering for ChatGPT and Codex, covering core systems, product lines including infrastructure, and Integrity. This role places emphasis on ensuring the reliability and integrity of AI-powered products while scaling infrastructure to support broader usage. Raji will report directly to Fidji Simo, embedding the Apps leadership within the executive framework dedicated to product-oriented execution.
• Statsig integration plan: OpenAI’s acquisition of Statsig targets the integration of A/B testing and analytics into OpenAI’s product development lifecycle. The plan includes allowing Statsig to operate independently from its Seattle headquarters post-close and providing continuity for its customer base as OpenAI integrates capabilities and teams.
• Executive realignment details: Narayanan’s appointment as CTO of B2B Applications centralizes business-oriented app development under a single executive, with a direct reporting line to the COO. Weil’s transition to AI for Science aims to tether product leadership to research initiatives, strengthening collaboration between product and research groups.
• Reporting and governance changes: Turley and the broader product unit formerly under Weil will report to Fidji Simo, reflecting Simo’s central role in steering application-focused products. This consolidation enhances cross-functional alignment between product strategy and engineering delivery.

Key takeaways

• OpenAI is formalizing a dedicated Applications leadership track under Fidji Simo, with a new CTO of Applications at the helm of product engineering for ChatGPT and Codex.
• The Statsig acquisition introduces a robust analytics and experimentation capability to OpenAI’s product development toolkit, with a clear plan to integrate while preserving current customers’ continuity.
• Leadership realignments across B2B applications, AI-for-Science, and product management indicate a broader strategy to scale OpenAI’s enterprise and government offerings.
• The closing of the acquisition remains subject to regulatory approval, and the involved teams will transition to OpenAI employment while operating from Seattle during the integration period.
• Customer-centric continuity and measured integration are emphasized, aiming to minimize disruption for existing Statsig clients and maintain focus on core product priorities.

References

• OpenAI’s executive reshuffle and the Statsig acquisition coverage at The Verge: https://www.theverge.com/openai/769325/openai-statsig-acquisition-executive-moves