OpenAI has had a tumultuous year, with high-profile departures and legal battles overshadowing its ambitions. Now, it's Greg Brockman's show.

Brockman, previously an “engineering workhorse,” is now the de facto second-in-command, overseeing product strategy and scaling efforts. His expanded role comes as the company prepares for an IPO, with a focus on revenue growth and differentiation from rivals like Anthropic.

Key executives leaving in April, such as CMO Kate Rouch and CTO Srinivas Narayanan, have given Brockman more control. His recent quotes in press releases suggest he’s steering OpenAI towards making AI broadly useful for people and businesses.

With this consolidation of power, observers predict that lower-level employees may follow suit if they disagree with Brockman's direction. This centralization could help cut costs as OpenAI aims to become more profitable before its IPO.