OpenAI Infrastructure Lead Sachin Katti Announces Departure

Sachin Katti, the infrastructure lead at OpenAI, announced he will depart the company on November 15 to pursue new ventures. Katti will transition into an advisory role following his exit. Uday Ruddarraju, the current CTO of compute who joined the company in July 2025 from xAI, will succeed Katti to lead the overall compute organization.

This leadership transition occurs as OpenAI executes a massive infrastructure roadmap, targeting approximately $600 billion in compute spending by 2030. This plan includes multi-billion-dollar data center projects across Ohio, Texas, and Georgia, amid broader political backlash in the United States regarding the electricity, water, and noise impact of AI infrastructure.

Katti's departure follows a series of high-profile executive exits this year, including Denise Dresser, Brad Lightcap, and Fidji Simo. OpenAI President Greg Brockman defended the turnover, stating that departures in a young, high-profile company are often over-scrutinized.