OpenAI is expanding its push into applications with a major acquisition and a leadership shake-up. The company announced Tuesday that it has agreed to acquire Statsig, a Seattle-based product testing startup, in a deal valued at $1.1 billion in stock, one of the largest acquisitions to date for the maker of ChatGPT.
As part of the transaction, Statsig founder and CEO Vijaye Raji will join OpenAI as Chief Technology Officer of Applications, reporting to Fidji Simo, the former Instacart CEO who recently became OpenAI’s head of its Applications business. Raji will oversee product engineering for ChatGPT, the AI coding tool Codex, and other upcoming consumer and enterprise-facing applications.
OpenAI said that bringing Statsig’s experimentation platform in-house will help accelerate product development across its expanding portfolio. The deal is still subject to regulatory approval. Once complete, all of Statsig’s employees will transition to OpenAI, though the startup will continue operating independently and serving its customers from its Seattle headquarters.
Leadership Restructuring
Alongside the acquisition, OpenAI is making changes to its leadership ranks.
- Kevin Weil, the company’s Chief Product Officer, announced he will become Vice President of a new division called OpenAI for Science. His group aims to build “the next great scientific instrument” — an AI-powered platform to accelerate research and discovery. Weil will collaborate closely with Sebastien Bubeck, a leading researcher at OpenAI and former Microsoft executive.
- Srinivas Narayanan, OpenAI’s current Head of Engineering, revealed in a LinkedIn post that he is moving into the role of CTO of B2B Applications. In this capacity, he will work directly with COO Brad Lightcap, focusing on deepening OpenAI’s enterprise relationships.
Weil praised the leadership transition, saying that OpenAI’s product and design teams are “in great hands” with Simo now overseeing Applications.
Strategic Expansion
The acquisition highlights OpenAI’s ambition to diversify beyond its core research efforts and strengthen its application-focused business line. By integrating Statsig’s experimentation tools and leadership expertise, OpenAI hopes to speed up the development of its consumer and enterprise products — and maintain its edge in the increasingly competitive AI landscape.
