OpenAI Hires Ex-Pebble CEO Gabor Cselle for New Secretive AI Project

Gabor Cselle, co-founder and former CEO of the Twitter alternative Pebble, has recently joined OpenAI to work on a yet-undisclosed project. Cselle’s addition to OpenAI's team, which reportedly began in October according to his LinkedIn profile, was confirmed publicly in a recent post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “Will share more about what I’m working on in due time,” he shared in the post, hinting at his work with the company but offering few specifics. “Learning a lot already.”

Gabor Cselle’s Journey Through Tech Giants

Cselle is a well-known figure in the tech industry, with a track record as a repeat founder whose startups have been acquired by major players:

• reMail: Cselle’s first venture, a mobile email startup backed by Y Combinator, was acquired by Google.

• Namo Media: His second startup, a native advertising company, was purchased by Twitter before Elon Musk’s acquisition and rebranding of the platform to X.

• Cselle also spent time at Twitter in 2014 as a group product manager, focusing on key areas such as the home timeline and user onboarding. After leaving Twitter in 2016, he transitioned to Google, where he became a director within Area 120, Google’s innovation incubator.

The Pebble Experiment

In 2022, Cselle co-founded Pebble (initially branded as T2) with Michael Greer, former engineering head at Discord. Positioned as a safer, community-centered alternative to Twitter, Pebble gained initial traction with an engaged, niche audience and even secured funding from notable investors, including Android co-founder Rich Miner. However, despite its unique appeal, Pebble struggled to achieve sustainable growth and ultimately closed last October. The company later re-emerged as a Mastodon instance in November.

Earlier this year, Cselle continued his interest in AI by joining the accelerator South Park Commons, where he explored various generative AI projects, including a tribute to the popular HQ Trivia.

High-Profile Weekend in AI Hiring

Cselle’s OpenAI hiring coincided with another notable tech move: Alex Rodrigues, founder of autonomous trucking startup Embark, announced his new role at OpenAI’s competitor, Anthropic, as an AI safety researcher. Rodrigues, who led Embark through a SPAC merger in 2021 and its subsequent acquisition by Applied Intuition, revealed his shift to Anthropic just a day before Cselle’s announcement.

Looking Ahead: What Cselle’s Move Means for OpenAI

With OpenAI at the forefront of AI advancements, Cselle’s extensive background in product management, AI exploration, and platform moderation positions him well to contribute to the company’s innovative roadmap. While details of his project remain under wraps, the recruitment of such experienced tech talent signals that OpenAI may be gearing up for new product development or even enhanced social platform elements. Cselle’s expertise could play a critical role in shaping OpenAI’s next strategic steps as it competes in an ever-evolving AI landscape.

Editor’s Note: This article was created by Alicia Shapiro, CMO of AiNews.com, with writing, image, and idea-generation support from ChatGPT, an AI assistant. However, the final perspective and editorial choices are solely Alicia Shapiro’s. Special thanks to ChatGPT for assistance with research and editorial support in crafting this article.