Chris Malone leaves OpenAI

Chris Malone, a key executive in charge of OpenAI's data center development, left the company last week amid a leadership exodus as OpenAI prepares for a public offering.

Malone joined OpenAI in March 2025, leading the Stargate initiative with Oracle and SoftBank. However, the project faced challenges, prompting shifts toward cloud provider deals. OpenAI is reviving its internal data-center efforts but under different leaders.

His departure follows other significant exits, including the Chief Revenue Officer and Chief Operating Officer. Malone previously held senior roles at Meta and Google.

OpenAI is intensifying its focus on computing capacity, raising projected spending to $750 billion by 2030 and recently securing a major data-center lease in Ohio.