A former OpenAI researcher who publicly criticized the company's practices was found dead in his San Francisco apartment in November, sparking questions from his family and intense public speculation about the circumstances of his death.
Suchir Balaji, 26, was discovered in his Hayes Valley home on November 26 after his mother Poornima Ramarao filed a missing person report. The San Francisco medical examiner initially ruled his death a suicide from a gunshot wound, but his parents are challenging this conclusion and demanding a deeper investigation.
Just months before his death, Balaji had spoken to The New York Times about what he viewed as OpenAI's copyright violations in training its AI models. He was set to testify in the newspaper's lawsuit against the AI company.
A programming prodigy who joined OpenAI straight out of UC Berkeley, Balaji helped develop the company's GPT-4 language model before leaving in August 2023. Friends described him as methodical and principled, saying his decision to become a whistleblower aligned with his strong moral compass.
His mother has filed a lawsuit against the San Francisco Police Department seeking the release of their full investigation report. Through her lawyers, she hired independent forensic experts who have raised questions about aspects of the case, including the bullet's trajectory and other physical evidence.
"We will take this to the public," Ramarao told Fortune. "We will be taking it everywhere."
The San Francisco Police Department maintains that no evidence of foul play was found in their initial investigation, though the case remains open. OpenAI has expressed condolences and offered assistance to law enforcement.
Friends who were with Balaji on a hiking trip days before his death said he seemed normal and was making future plans. He had recently purchased a firearm in January 2023.
As his family seeks answers, Balaji's death has fueled widespread online speculation and conspiracy theories. His mother's public campaign has drawn attention from prominent figures including Elon Musk and Representative Ro Khanna, who have called for deeper investigation.
The police are expected to release their final report by the end of February. Until then, both family and friends remain in search of closure over the tragic loss of a gifted engineer who chose to speak out against one of tech's most powerful companies.