Suchir Balaji (November 21, 1998 – November, 2024) was an American artificial intelligence (AI) researcher and whistleblower who accused his former employer, OpenAI, of violating United States copyright law. His death has drawn international attention.
The San Francisco Police Department has found "no evidence of foul play" during its investigation. The San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner determined the death was a suicide.
Balaji's parents, friends, and some prominent Americans suspect foul play and have called for a federal investigation.
The San Francisco police investigation remains open and active as of January 23, 2025.
Early life and education
Balaji was born on November 21, 1998 into an Indian-American family and raised in Cupertino, California. He started coding with Scratch at the age of 11 and built his own computer by 13. He wrote a scientific paper about chip design at 14 years old. At 17 years old, the online knowledge-sharing forum Quora recruited him to work for them. He attended Monta Vista High School...