OpenAI loses another top executive, latest in a string of exits

Summary

CNBC's Kate Rooney reports that OpenAI has lost another top executive, data center head Chris Malone, adding to a string of high-profile departures. The turnover comes as OpenAI prepares for a possible 2027 IPO and pursues a massive data center and compute buildout. Rooney contrasts OpenAI's executive volatility with Anthropic's stability and raises questions about how public investors will view the churn.

• OpenAI confirmed head of data centers Chris Malone has left the company.
• Malone's exit is the latest in a string of high-profile OpenAI departures.
• OpenAI is targeting roughly $600 billion in compute and spending by 2030.
• Data centers are becoming a tense political issue with local pushback.
• OpenAI confidentially filed for an IPO in June and could be public in 2027.
• OpenAI President Greg Brockman says the turnover is not atypical but gets extra scrutiny.
• Venture investors have been comfortable with OpenAI volatility, but public investor reception is uncertain.
• Anthropic is described as extremely stable by comparison.