Artificial Intelligence: OpenAI whistleblower died by suicide, authorities confirm

By Hans Ngala

Former OpenAI researcher and company whistleblower Suchir Balaji died by apparent suicide, according to San Francisco’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and multiple reports from the US. He was 26.

Balaji’s body was reportedly discovered in his San Francisco apartment on November 26, according to CNBC but an official cause of death had not been given at the time.

“The manner of death has been determined to be suicide,” said David Serrano Sewell, director of San Francisco’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, on December 13. Sewell also confirmed that Balaji’s next of kin had been notified.

The San Francisco Police Department corroborated the report, stating that police officers were called to an apartment on Buchanan Street on November 26 to perform a wellness check. There, they discovered the body of a deceased adult male. The department noted that there is “no evidence of foul play” at the time.

“We are devastated to learn of this incredibly sad news today and our hearts go out to Suchir’s loved ones during this difficult time,” a spokesperson for OpenAI — the company behind ChatGPT — told Fox News.

Balaji, who left his role as an artificial intelligence researcher at OpenAI in August after four years, had voiced concerns over the company’s development of AI technology. He claimed OpenAI had violated copyright laws and expressed that platforms like ChatGPT were causing harm to society. In an interview with The New York Times, Balaji explained that, based on his beliefs, he had to leave the company. “If you believe what I believe, you have to just leave the company,” he said.

In his final post on X (formerly Twitter) on October 23, Balaji referenced his involvement in a New York Times story discussing the issues of fair use and generative AI. He wrote, “I recently participated in a NYT story about fair use and generative AI, and why I’m skeptical ‘fair use’ would be a plausible defense for a lot of generative AI products.” However, he clarified, “I don’t want this to read as a critique of ChatGPT or OpenAI per se, because fair use and generative AI is a much broader issue than any one product or company.”

The Rise of AI in Cameroon and Its Impact on Mental Health

As artificial intelligence continues to gain ground globally, its implications are becoming more profound in countries like Cameroon, where technological advancements could drastically reshape various sectors, including education, healthcare, and business. In particular, the increasing reliance on AI tools like ChatGPT has raised concerns about the mental health of those using these technologies. For Cameroonians, AI promises efficiency and innovation, but it also poses risks – something Balaji understood and which likely contributed to him taking his life.

The increasing automation of jobs in developing countries like Cameroon where people are struggling to find jobs, may leave many individuals feeling uncertain about their future employment opportunities, leading to anxiety and depression. The rapid advancement of AI could also affect the mental health of Cameroonian secondary school and university students, leading to self-doubt in their cognitive and analytical abilities. Moreover, the fast-paced evolution of AI can exacerbate feelings of isolation and inadequacy, particularly as individuals struggle to keep up with the latest developments. For mental health professionals, the challenge lies in addressing these concerns while helping users balance the benefits of AI with the psychological impact of over-reliance on technology. In a country where mental health services are often under-resourced, this shift could have serious consequences unless measures are taken to provide proper support and education around AI’s mental health impacts which at this point is not center stage in mainstream Cameroonian media and discourse.

As the use of AI continues to raise questions around privacy, ethics and security, South Africa’s Wits University in Johannesburg, announced it was unveiling Africa’s first dedicated artificial intelligence institute on November 19. Known as the Machine Intelligence and Neural Discovery (MIND) Institute, the institute aims to publish impactful research, develop talent, and help to foster innovative applications of AI. Its specialties include informing policy-making on the governance and ethics of AI in Africa.

It is the first institute of its kind anywhere in Africa and will help drive the development of AI across the continent from an African perspective.