Chris Malone departed his role as OpenAI’s head of data centers last week. Malone joined the company in March 2025. He previously managed data center operations at Meta and Google. Malone led the design, construction, and operation of the company's advanced AI infrastructure.
At least 12 senior figures have left OpenAI during 2026. Recent high-profile departures include the chief operating officer and the chief revenue officer. The CEO of applications also exited the company this year.
OpenAI has confidentially filed for an initial public offering. The company is currently scaling infrastructure spending into the hundreds of billions of dollars. This leadership turnover coincides with a period of heightened financial scrutiny.