OpenAI has named Indian-origin technologist Vijaye Raji as its new Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Applications, following its $1.1 billion acquisition of his startup, Statsig. This all-stock deal marks one of OpenAI’s biggest acquisitions and reflects the company’s growing focus on strengthening its product offerings such as ChatGPT and Codex.
In his new role, Raji will oversee the engineering and development of OpenAI’s applications. He will focus on improving the speed, reliability, and scalability of products that millions of users rely on every day. His expertise in experimentation platforms is expected to help OpenAI bring new features to market faster and create a better user experience for both individuals and businesses.
Raji is best known for founding Statsig in 2021, a platform that helps companies test features and make data-driven decisions. Under his leadership, Statsig became a key tool for product teams, enabling rapid experimentation and innovation. OpenAI has said that Statsig will continue to operate independently in Seattle, but its technology and culture will play a vital role in shaping OpenAI’s product roadmap.
Before becoming an entrepreneur, Raji spent almost a decade at Microsoft, where he worked on major products like Visual Studio and SQL Server. Later, he joined Meta (then Facebook), where he rose to the level of Vice President and led major initiatives, including Facebook Marketplace and Groups Commerce. His experience in managing large-scale engineering teams and building widely used products makes him a strong fit for OpenAI’s growing Applications division.
Industry experts see this move as a major step in OpenAI’s strategy to scale its offerings for global users. With Raji’s leadership, the company is expected to build faster, experiment more effectively, and roll out cutting-edge AI products with a stronger focus on reliability and trust.
