John Schulman, a co-founder of OpenAI, has departed from rival AI firm Anthropic after a brief six-month tenure, marking another significant shift in the competitive artificial intelligence landscape. Anthropic’s chief science officer Jared Kaplan confirmed the departure, stating the company supports Schulman’s decision to pursue new opportunities.
Schulman announced his exit on X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday, explaining that while he enjoyed the “stimulating research environment” and working with “kind and talented people,” he found another opportunity “extremely compelling.” However, he did not disclose details about his next venture.
The AI researcher’s journey has been notably turbulent over the past year. Schulman spent nine years at OpenAI before leaving in August 2024 to join Anthropic. At the time, he cited his desire to deepen his focus on AI alignment—the critical process of ensuring large language models align with human values and goals. In his departure statement from OpenAI, Schulman expressed wanting to “return to hands-on technical work” and believed Anthropic was the right place to pursue that mission.
Schulman’s departure from OpenAI was part of a significant exodus of high-level talent from the ChatGPT-maker in 2024. Other notable departures included chief technology officer Mira Murati and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever. Additionally, Jan Leike, who co-led OpenAI’s superalignment group focused on making AI systems align with human interests, left for Anthropic in May 2024.
Anthropic was founded by siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, both former OpenAI employees who departed in 2020 to establish their own AI startup prioritizing AI safety and responsible development. The company’s flagship product, Claude, directly competes with OpenAI’s ChatGPT in the large language model market. The Amodei siblings are among at least 23 former OpenAI employees who have left to launch their own companies, highlighting the significant talent migration within the AI industry.
Schulman’s brief stint at Anthropic raises questions about the competitive dynamics in the AI industry and the challenges even leading AI safety-focused companies face in retaining top talent. His next move remains undisclosed, leaving the AI community speculating about where one of the field’s prominent researchers will land next.
Key Quotes
We are sad to see John go but fully support his decision to pursue new opportunities and wish him all the very best
Anthropic’s chief science officer Jared Kaplan provided this statement to Business Insider, maintaining a diplomatic tone despite losing a high-profile researcher after only six months.
Leaving wasn’t easy because I enjoyed the stimulating research environment and the kind and talented people I was working with, but I decided to go with another opportunity that I found extremely compelling
John Schulman posted this explanation on X, suggesting his departure wasn’t due to dissatisfaction with Anthropic but rather an irresistible new opportunity, though he didn’t reveal what that opportunity entails.
I’ve made the difficult decision to leave OpenAI. This choice stems from my desire to deepen my focus on AI alignment, and to start a new chapter of my career where I can return to hands-on technical work
Schulman’s statement from August 2024 when leaving OpenAI explains his motivation for joining Anthropic, making his subsequent departure after just six months particularly noteworthy given his stated commitment to AI alignment work.
Our Take
Schulman’s revolving door experience—from OpenAI co-founder to Anthropic researcher to unknown next venture in less than a year—exemplifies the current state of flux in the AI industry. This isn’t just about one researcher’s career moves; it’s symptomatic of a broader industry challenge. The AI sector is experiencing unprecedented growth and competition, creating a talent war where even mission-driven researchers focused on critical safety work are being pulled in multiple directions. What’s particularly striking is that Schulman left OpenAI specifically for AI alignment work at Anthropic, yet couldn’t stay even six months. This raises important questions: Are current AI companies structured to support deep, long-term safety research? Or are market pressures and competitive dynamics making it difficult even for safety-focused organizations to retain talent? The answer will significantly impact how the industry addresses existential AI risks while racing toward artificial general intelligence.
Why This Matters
Schulman’s departure from Anthropic after just six months is significant for several reasons. First, it highlights the intense competition for AI talent and the fluid nature of employment in the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence sector. When a co-founder of OpenAI leaves a competitor after such a short period, it signals either compelling opportunities elsewhere or potential challenges within the organization.
Second, this move underscores ongoing concerns about AI alignment and safety research. Schulman specifically joined Anthropic to focus on alignment work, yet his quick departure raises questions about the state of AI safety research and whether leading companies can provide the environment researchers need to tackle these critical challenges.
Third, the broader pattern of OpenAI talent exodus—with at least 23 former employees launching their own ventures—suggests a fragmenting AI landscape where expertise is spreading across multiple organizations. This could accelerate innovation but also raises concerns about coordination on safety standards and responsible AI development. For businesses and policymakers, tracking where top AI researchers land provides insights into emerging trends and potential breakthrough developments in the field.
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