OpenAI CEO defends suicide ruling as Elon Musk and Balaji’s family claim it was murder
Who Was Suchir Balaji?
- Suchir Balaji, a 26-year-old Indian-origin AI researcher, worked at OpenAI for nearly four years.
- He was found dead in his apartment in November 2024, weeks after accusing OpenAI of copyright violations and unethical practices.
- A graduate of UC Berkeley, Balaji was described as a brilliant programmer with a promising career in AI.
Sam Altman: “He Was Like a Friend”
In an interview with Tucker Carlson, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman called Balaji’s death a “great tragedy”, defending the official police ruling that it was a suicide.
“He was like a friend of mine,” Altman said. “I spent a lot of time trying to read everything I could… It looks like a suicide to me.”
Altman confirmed that:
- Balaji owned the gun found at the scene.
- He had not seen any convincing evidence of foul play.
Tucker Carlson & Elon Musk Disagree
During the interview, Tucker Carlson strongly disagreed with the suicide theory, saying:
“He was murdered. There were signs of a struggle, blood in multiple rooms, and surveillance wires were cut.”
- Carlson also said Balaji showed no signs of depression or suicidal thoughts.
- He noted that Balaji’s mother also believes it was murder.
Shortly after, Elon Musk posted on X (formerly Twitter), writing:
“He was murdered.”
Musk has been a longtime critic of Sam Altman and OpenAI’s leadership, especially over its closed-source AI models and alleged ethical violations.
Family Demands Justice
Balaji’s parents, speaking to an Indian news channel, supported the murder theory. They revealed:
- A second autopsy showed signs of head injury and struggle.
- They believe their son was killed, not suicidal.
“There are signs of struggle. The first report ignored them. We want a full investigation,” said the family.
The Bigger Picture
- The incident comes amid growing scrutiny over AI ethics, whistleblower safety, and corporate accountability.
- Balaji had reportedly accused OpenAI of using copyrighted data without permission and warned of internal cover-ups.
While police maintain it was suicide, growing voices — from Elon Musk to Balaji’s own family — are calling for a deeper investigation. The case continues to spark debate over transparency in the AI industry and protection for whistleblowers.
