What it's really like to work at ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, ex-engineer shares surprising insights about company culture

OpenAI

Ever wondered what it’s like to work at one of the most talked-about AI companies in the world? A former OpenAI engineer Calvin French-Owen has shared his experience of life inside the ChatGPT-maker, he has offered a rare look into a company that’s usually known for its secrecy.

In a detailed blog post, Owen, who worked at OpenAI for just over a year, described the company as both exciting and intense. “It’s probably the most ambitious place I’ve ever worked,” he wrote, calling it a mix of cutting-edge science, big product launches, and fierce global competition.

According to him, OpenAI moves at lightning speed. He recalled how his team built and launched a major product, Codex, in just seven weeks, something unheard of in most large companies. “It was exhausting but also the highlight of my career,” he admitted, sharing how the whole team worked late nights and weekends to make it happen.

One of the most surprising details is how OpenAI operates internally. The engineer said the company doesn’t use email at all everything happens on Slack. Employees are encouraged to take action without waiting for approvals, and there’s no strict hierarchy. “If you have a good idea, you just run with it,” he said.

But it’s not always smooth sailing. The engineer pointed out that OpenAI’s rapid growth, from 1,000 to 3,000 employees in a year, has created plenty of chaos. Communication can be confusing, the codebase is messy in parts, and GPU costs are sky-high. “When you grow this fast, things break,” he said bluntly.

The company’s secretive side also stood out. Many employees found out about new product launches through news leaks before internal announcements. Security around projects is tight, and only a few people know what’s really going on at any time.

Despite these challenges, the engineer praised OpenAI for trying to make its AI tools accessible to everyone. “They don’t just keep the best tech for big businesses,” he wrote. He also said that while OpenAI gets criticized in the media, many people inside are genuinely trying to do the right thing.

In the end, he called OpenAI “an incredible place to build things,” but warned it’s definitely not for everyone.