NEW DELHI (India CSR): In a landmark move for India’s tech diaspora, Vijaye Raji, a Puducherry-born engineer, has been named OpenAI’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) of Applications, a role that positions him at the forefront of the global AI revolution. Announced on September 2, 2025, alongside OpenAI’s $1.1 billion acquisition of Raji’s company, Statsig, this appointment marks a pivotal moment for the AI giant as it scales its flagship products, ChatGPT and Codex. Raji’s journey from a small-town coder to a key figure in one of the world’s most influential tech companies is a testament to his vision and expertise, inspiring a new generation of Indian innovators.
Key Facts Table: Vijaye Raji – OpenAI CTO of Applications
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Vijaye Raji |
| Birthplace | Puducherry, India |
| Education | B.E., Pondicherry University (1999) |
| Early Coding Journey | Began coding at age 12 in a local library |
| Early Career | Microsoft – contributed to SQL Server modeling & Visual Studio editor |
| Major Career Role | Meta (Facebook) – VP of Gaming & Entertainment; Head of Seattle office |
| Entrepreneurship | Founded Statsig in 2021, a product analytics & experimentation platform |
| Statsig Achievement | Scaled to $1.1B unicorn; clients included Microsoft, Notion, OpenAI |
| Acquisition by OpenAI | Statsig acquired by OpenAI in Sept 2025 for $1.1 billion (all-stock deal) |
| Current Role | CTO of Applications, OpenAI – oversees ChatGPT & Codex |
| Reporting To | Fidji Simo, CEO of Applications (ex-Instacart) |
| Key Responsibility | Product engineering, infrastructure reliability, AI applications strategy |
| Other Leadership | Srinivas Narayanan – CTO of B2B Applications; Kevin Weil – VP of AI Science |
| Global Influence | Indian-origin leader alongside Sundar Pichai & Satya Nadella |
| OpenAI Revenue (2025) | $12B annualized (expected $20B by year-end 2025) |
| Notable Quote | “Joining OpenAI is an extraordinary opportunity to advance AI that solves real-world problems.” |
A Prodigy from Puducherry
Vijaye Raji’s story began in Puducherry, where, at the age of 12, he spent nights coding in a local library, driven by an insatiable curiosity for technology. After graduating from Pondicherry University with a Bachelor of Engineering in 1999, Raji embarked on a career that would take him to the heart of Silicon Valley. His early days at Microsoft saw him contribute to foundational developer tools like SQL Server modeling and the Visual Studio editor, honing his skills in building robust tech infrastructure. This foundation laid the groundwork for his later success in scaling consumer products to millions of users worldwide.
Scaling Heights at Meta
Raji’s decade-long tenure at Meta (formerly Facebook) was a defining chapter, where he rose to Vice President of Gaming and Entertainment, overseeing critical projects like Facebook Messenger, Marketplace, and Groups Commerce. As head of Facebook’s Seattle office, he led engineering teams that powered platforms used by billions. His ability to manage complex, large-scale consumer products caught the attention of the tech world, establishing him as a leader capable of navigating the challenges of rapid innovation and global reach. Raji’s experience at Meta equipped him with the expertise to handle the demands of OpenAI’s ambitious product roadmap.
Founding Statsig: A Game-Changer in Product Analytics
In 2021, Raji founded Statsig, a Seattle-based product analytics platform specializing in A/B testing, feature flagging, and real-time decision-making. Under his leadership, Statsig grew into a $1.1 billion unicorn, serving clients like Microsoft, Notion, and even OpenAI itself. The platform’s tools enabled companies to optimize product development through data-driven experimentation, a capability that aligns seamlessly with OpenAI’s mission to refine AI applications like ChatGPT. Raji’s entrepreneurial success with Statsig made him a natural fit for OpenAI’s leadership team, culminating in the company’s acquisition of Statsig in a $1.1 billion all-stock deal on September 2, 2025.
Leading OpenAI’s Applications Division
As CTO of Applications, Raji will report to Fidji Simo, OpenAI’s CEO of Applications, who joined from Instacart in August 2025. His role is expansive, overseeing product engineering for ChatGPT and Codex, OpenAI’s AI-powered coding tool, while ensuring infrastructure reliability and product integrity. “Vijaye’s track record in building scalable consumer and B2B products is unmatched,” Simo said in a statement. Raji’s leadership is expected to accelerate OpenAI’s ability to deliver intuitive, safe, and impactful AI tools to hundreds of millions of users, cementing its position in a competitive landscape that includes rivals like Anthropic and Google.
Strategic Acquisition and Leadership Overhaul
The Statsig acquisition, one of OpenAI’s largest to date, underscores the company’s shift from a research-focused entity to a product-driven powerhouse. Statsig’s team will join OpenAI but continue operating independently from Seattle, ensuring continuity for its clients. The deal complements OpenAI’s broader leadership reshuffle, with Srinivas Narayanan appointed CTO of B2B Applications and Kevin Weil transitioning to Vice President of AI for Science. These moves reflect OpenAI’s strategy to dominate both consumer and enterprise markets, leveraging Raji’s expertise to enhance product experimentation and scalability.
A Milestone for India’s Tech Influence
Raji’s appointment is a proud moment for India’s tech community, highlighting the global impact of Indian-origin engineers. His journey from Puducherry to OpenAI mirrors the rise of other Indian leaders like Sundar Pichai and Satya Nadella. With OpenAI exploring India for a massive AI data center under its Stargate initiative, Raji’s role could deepen ties with the country’s burgeoning tech ecosystem. “Joining OpenAI is an extraordinary opportunity to advance AI that solves real-world problems,” Raji said, expressing his commitment to shaping the future of AI applications.
What’s Next for OpenAI and Raji
As OpenAI’s annualized revenue surges to $12 billion in 2025, with projections to reach $20 billion by year-end, Raji’s leadership will be crucial in navigating the challenges of scaling AI technologies. His focus on integrating Statsig’s experimentation tools will likely enhance ChatGPT’s user experience and drive innovation in Codex, positioning OpenAI to capture a larger share of the enterprise market. With regulatory approval pending for the Statsig acquisition, the tech world is watching closely as Raji steers OpenAI into its next phase of growth, blending Indian ingenuity with global ambition.
(India CSR)
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