Cold-blooded 'corporate murder'? The unfolding of OpenAI whistleblower's death
The death of Suchir Balaji has caused quite a stir as the deceased's mother, Poornima Rao, has initiated an online campaign and stated that a private autopsy failed to confirm suicide as the cause of death.
She is calling for a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigation to explore the circumstances surrounding his passing, reported The Indian Express.
Balaji wasn't suicidal, family claims
Suchir Balaji's parents have publicly claimed that his death was a "cold-blooded murder" rather than a suicide. His mother shared on social media that Balaji was in a "happy mood" during a call with his family just hours before his death and had just returned from a vacation with friends.
On December 29, 2024, Rao revealed that the family had sought help from a private investigator and conducted a second autopsy. The results of the private autopsy did not confirm the cause of death stated by the police.
Rao also pointed out that Balaji’s apartment appeared to have been "ransacked" and that there were signs of a struggle in the bathroom, suggesting he had been struck based on blood spots found there.
The mother has further gained support from Elon Musk, who replied to her post stating, "This doesn’t seem like a suicide."
Balaji’s parents also appeared in a video posted by George Webb, an investigative journalist, where they described their findings in Balaji’s apartment, including a pool of blood and additional signs of struggle.
Poornima Rao, Suchir Balaji's mother, revealed that a pen drive containing important information is now missing. She believes Balaji had something significant on the drive.
Why was Balaji targeted?
Balaji played a key role in the ongoing lawsuits against OpenAI filed by major media outlets like The New York Times and various artists and copyright owners, who accuse OpenAI of copyright infringement in training its chatbot.
Balaji had previously stated he would "try to testify" in these cases and may have been in possession of some unique documents that may have proved his argument.
Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI researcher, was found dead on November 26, just one month after sharing concerns about unethical practices at the AI firm behind ChatGPT in an interview with The New York Times.
His death was first reported by The Mercury News on December 14. Authorities ruled the death a suicide and saw no signs of foul play. However, Balaji’s parents have refuted this.
Balaji completed several internships at prominent AI firms, including OpenAI, Scale AI, and Helia. He later joined OpenAI as a researcher and contributed to post-training efforts for ChatGPT.
His role involved gathering and organising large datasets used in the development of the ChatGPT chatbot.
