Questions Raised On Whistleblower Suchir Balaji’s Death

India-West News Desk

SAN FRANCISCO, CA – Poornima Ramarao, the mother of Suchir Balaji, is seeking answers about the tragic death of her 26-year-old son, who died by suicide in his San Francisco apartment on November 26.

Suchir Balaji, a former OpenAI researcher and whistleblower, had raised concerns about the company’s use of copyrighted data to train its ChatGPT chatbot. His death came just a week after being named in court filings as having crucial documents supporting the case against OpenAI.

Balaji’s parents, Poornima and Balaji Ramamurthy, have expressed doubt that their son would have taken his own life. “We’re demanding a thorough investigation,” said Poornima Ramarao, emphasizing that the family has hired an expert to conduct an independent autopsy, though the results have not been made public yet. Local authorities have stated that they do not suspect foul play, but Poornima remains unconvinced. “It’s hard to believe that my son could do this,” she told The Mercury News.

The family is raising questions about the circumstances surrounding Suchir Balaji’s death. Poornima explained that their last conversation, on November 22, had been upbeat, with Balaji speaking about a recent trip he enjoyed. However, when she called him the next day, he didn’t pick up, and after a few days without contact, she visited his apartment, only to find it empty. When she contacted authorities, she was told little could be done. It wasn’t until November 26 that police found Balaji’s body.

Poornima has since claimed that a second autopsy and private investigation revealed evidence contradicting the police’s findings. She described signs of a struggle in Balaji’s apartment, including bloodstains and signs of ransacking. “It’s a cold-blooded murder declared by authorities as suicide,” she wrote in a post on X, urging the FBI to investigate.

Suchir Balaji had resigned from OpenAI in October 2023, citing ethical and legal concerns, particularly regarding the company’s practices of using copyrighted material. His vocal stance on these issues, combined with the circumstances of his death, has drawn public attention, with figures like Elon Musk questioning the official conclusion.

Musk tweeted, “This doesn’t seem like a suicide,” lending support to Poornima’s claims.

In her tweets demanding action, Poornima tagged Musk, Governor Gavin Newsom, Vivek Ramaswamy and India’s ministry of external affairs.

For more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cRhd14jRtNo

Also Read: OpenAI Whistleblower Suchir Balaji Found Dead In San Francisco