Open AI researcher turned whistleblower, Suchir Balaji, was found dead in a San Francisco apartment.
According to authorities, the 26-year-old was discovered on 26 November after police said they received a call asking officers to check on their wellbeing.
Executive director of San Francisco’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, David Serrano Sewell, told CNBC that the death was determined a suicide and that there was no evidence of foul play in their initial investigation.
The death was initially reported by the San Jose Mercury News.
In recent months, Balaji had publicly spoken out against Open AI in a New York Times interview where he alleged that Open AI had violated US copyright law while developing ChatGPT.
He said after working for the company as a researcher for four years, he concluded that ChatGPT and similar chatbots would destroy the commercial viability of organisations and people who created digital content that is now widely used to train AI systems.
A spokesperson for OpenAI confirmed Balaji’s death in a statement to CNBC.
“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,” the spokesperson said.
OpenAI is currently involved in legal disputes with US and Canadian publishers, including the New York Times and a group of best-selling lawyers, who claim the company was illegally using news articles to train its software.
The software is "grounded in fair use and related international copyright principles that are fair for creators and support innovation", the company said in a statement to the BBC.
If you or someone you know is in crisis and needs help now, call triple zero (000). You can also call Lifeline on 13 11 14 — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Head to Health also gives advice and will connect you to local mental health services. Call 1800 595 212.
