Indian-origin OpenAI whistleblower's mother breaks silence on Suchir Balaji's death: 'Doesn't look normal'

Suchir Balaji, a 26-year-old Indian-origin former employee of artificial intelligence powerhouse OpenAI, was found dead in his Buchanan Street apartment on Thanksgiving Day. The San Francisco Medical Examiner’s Office confirmed the death was by suicide, with no evidence of foul play.

In an exclusive interview with Business Insider, his mother, Poornima Ramarao, revealed that her son grew disillusioned with the trajectory of AI development, particularly OpenAI’s pivot to commercialisation with ChatGPT.

“He felt AI is a harm to humanity,” Ramarao said, describing how Balaji’s once boundless optimism for AI’s potential turned into profound scepticism. Ramarao said. "It doesn't look like a normal situation."

Reflecting on his sudden death, she added, “It doesn’t look like a normal situation.”

A prodigy’s rise

Balaji’s journey was extraordinary from the start. By age two, he was forming complex sentences, and by 13, he had built his own computer. At 14, he wrote a science paper on chip design, and in his senior year of high school, he became the US champion in a national programming contest.

(Also read: ChatGPT down? Users freak out, flock to X to share memes: ‘I’m dependent on it’)

Recruited by OpenAI in 2018 as an intern and later hired full-time in 2021, Balaji was lauded for his technical brilliance. However, his concerns about AI’s societal impact led him to become a whistleblower.

Whistleblowing against OpenAI

Three months before his death, Balaji publicly accused OpenAI of violating US copyright laws in its development of ChatGPT. In an interview with The New York Times, he criticised the company for harming businesses and creators whose data was allegedly used without permission.

“If you believe what I believe, you have to just leave the company,” he said.

Balaji’s accusations have added fuel to ongoing lawsuits against OpenAI, filed by authors, programmers, and journalists claiming the company illegally used their copyrighted material to train its models.

OpenAI’s response

OpenAI expressed its condolences, stating that Balaji was a valued team member. “We were devastated to learn of this tragic news and have been in touch with Suchir’s family to offer our full support,” a spokesperson said.

While acknowledging Balaji’s concerns, OpenAI emphasised its commitment to addressing ethical challenges in AI.

(Also read: 'I rejected a CEO today': Woman turns down job after interviewer compares her to ChatGPT)

A family in grief

Balaji’s mother described her son as “perfect” and “ahead of his time,” recalling his precocious talent and determination. She also revealed her initial resistance to his early career moves, only to later recognise his extraordinary abilities.