Purnima Rao, mother of whistleblower and former OpenAI researcher Suchir Balaji, has given an interview to Tucker Carlson in America, in which she has made serious allegations regarding her son’s death and the opaqueness and secrecy in the world of Artificial Intelligence. He said that the creators of ChatGPT have killed my son to hide something in OpenAI which they do not want anyone to know.
Suchir Balaji was found dead in his San Francisco apartment in November. Earlier, he had become a whistleblower against AI-giant OpenAI. Before his death, he publicly expressed ethical concerns about the actions of ChatGPT’s creators. After initial investigation, officials concluded that his death was a suicide. However, his family has demanded an FBI investigation, highlighting several flaws, and alleging that Balaji was murdered.
Celebrated birthday a day before death: Rao
Rao recalled during the interview that the San Francisco Office of the Chief Medical Examiner had declared that his son’s death was a suicide. However, when Rao was asked whether he thought he could have killed himself and whether he was sad, he said, “My son had celebrated his birthday a day before his death. What more can we say than that he was happy.” Was in Mudra? He told that he also received a birthday gift from his father on the same day he was found dead.
Making serious allegations against OpenAI, Rao said, “My son had documents against OpenAI. They attacked him and killed him.” Also said that after his death “some documents were missing”.
Accusing the ChatGPT creator of suppressing the investigation and potential witnesses, he said, “Everyone is suppressed, no one is ready to come forward and tell the truth. Even lawyers were forced to say this.” That it’s a suicide.”
Elon Musk shared the video, said- very worrying
Elon Musk shared Suchir Balaji’s mother’s interview with Tucker Carlson on his X handle and called it “extremely worrying”.
extremely concerned
pic.twitter.com/ze1mmlIMdD— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2025
Criticizing OpenAI, Suchir Balaji’s mother blamed the authorities, saying, “It took them (the authorities) more than 14 minutes to determine the cause of death and tell me it was a suicide.”
He criticized the police for suppressing information and lack of transparency, saying, “I knew my son was dead the moment I saw the white van.” He said that the police kept making excuses for delay in giving information. “In the evening they returned the keys to me and told me I could take the body tomorrow,” she said.
Also claimed to have found blood stains
Earlier on social media platforms, he had said that Suchir Balaji’s “apartment was vandalized” and there were “signs of struggle in the bathroom”. He also claimed that blood stains were found there. Also said, “Someone hit him in the bathroom. There were blood stains there.” He said, “It was a brutal murder which the authorities declared a suicide.”
Suchir Balaji worked in OpenAI for about four years. He resigned in August 2023 after expressing dissatisfaction over changes in the company’s profit model. According to his mother, this change was a significant factor in his decision to leave his job and become a whistleblower.
San Francisco police have reportedly reopened the case for “active investigation.” However, details of the investigation have not been shared. Meanwhile, Suchir Balaji’s parents have said that “we demand that the FBI take action to bring out the truth.”
