26-year-old OpenAI researcher and whistleblower found dead in his apartment
Trigger warning: This article contains mentions suicide.
Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI researcher known for whistleblowing the artificial intelligence company, was found dead in his San Francisco apartment. He was 26.
Citing David Serrano Sewell, executive director of San Francisco's Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, CNBC reported that Balaji's "manner of death has been determined to be suicide."
According to local authorities, it was on the afternoon of Nov. 26 that they found a deceased adult male in an apartment on Buchanan Street after they were called to conduct a "wellbeing check" in the place.
There is "no evidence of foul play" found following the police's initial investigation.
In a statement sent to CNBC, OpenAI said that it was "devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news today and our hearts go out to Suchir's loved ones during this difficult time."
Balaji's mother requested privacy while grieving the death of her son.
Balaji's death occurred three months after his public allegation that OpenAI infringed U.S. copyright law throughout the development of ChatGPT.
In late 2022, a public release incited several lawsuits against OpenAI from writers, computer programmers, and journalists, who alleged that the corporation unlawfully appropriated their copyrighted work to train its program and enhance its valuation over $150 billion or P8.8 billion.
Meanwhile, in an article published on Oct. 23 by The New York Times, Balaji argued that OpenAI was "harming businesses and entrepreneurs whose data were used to train ChatGPT."
"If you believe what I believe, you have to just leave the company," he said, adding that ChatGPT is "not a sustainable model for the internet ecosystem as a whole."
He also told the media outlet that the approach contravened the country's "fair use" legislation regulating the use of previously published material. In October, he published an analysis on his own website supporting that argument.
If you think you, your friend, or your family member is considering self-harm or suicide, you may call the National Mental Health Crisis Hotline at 1553 (Luzon-wide, landline toll-free), 0966-351-4518 or 0917-899-USAP (8727) for Globe/TM users, or 0908-639-2672 for Smart users.
