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Ex-OpenAI Exec Joins Founders Fund After Policy Dispute
17 Jul
Summary
- Ryan Beiermeister is now a partner at Founders Fund.
- She previously served as VP of Product Policy at OpenAI.
- Her departure from OpenAI followed a disagreement over adult content features.
Ryan Beiermeister has been appointed a partner at Founders Fund, as announced recently. Before this move, she spent approximately two years as VP of Product Policy at OpenAI, during which the company saw exponential growth following the launch of ChatGPT. Her tenure at OpenAI concluded abruptly in February, reportedly due to objections she raised against a proposed "adult mode" feature for the chatbot, which aimed to enable its use for erotica.
Despite reports of a sexual discrimination accusation by a male colleague that she vehemently denied, OpenAI apparently abandoned plans for the "adult mode" in March. More recently, Beiermeister garnered attention in Silicon Valley for her strategic prowess in a "Mafia" game played on the Founders Fund YouTube channel, which featured other prominent tech figures like Sam Altman and Palmer Luckey.
A spokesperson for Founders Fund clarified that while Beiermeister is an excellent "Mafia" player, her gameplay was not part of the interview process. Her close relationship with Trae Stephens, dating back to their time together at Palantir, and her long-standing familiarity with the Founders Fund team were highlighted as key factors. Beiermeister expressed enthusiasm for backing startups in AI infrastructure, defense, energy, climate, and biotech, particularly those in challenging domains and founders who defy conventional molds.
