DECEMBER 29, 2024
Suchir Balaji’s father, Balaji Ramamurthy, claimed that his son was happier when he spoke with the 26-year-old techie.
An emotional video of Suchir Balaji’s father talking about his son’s death has surfaced on social media. The Indian-origin techie’s father said he was the last person to speak with him before he was found dead in his apartment. Though police ruled it as a suicide, his parents suspect foul play and have called for an FBI investigation.
“Parents of OpenAI whistleblower hire private investigator after their son allegedly took his own life, suggest their son was killed. The parents of 26-year-old Suchir Balaji say their son had plans to see them in January, claim there were ‘signs of a fight’,” reads an X post that shared the video.
In the video, Suchir Balaji’s father Balagi Ramamurthy says “I was the last person to talk to him. He was happy more, not depressed or anything. And it was his birthday week.”
His mother then takes the stage and claims, “He made plans to see us in January. That was the last phone conversation he had with anyone. He went into his apartment and never came out.”
“There was no suicide note left and there was nobody else on the scene, that doesn’t mean they can just come to conclusion. And we have seen the blood shots in the bathroom, signs of a fight in the bathroom,” she continues.
The India-origin techie’s parents spoke in front of an audience in a vigil organised for the 26-year-old.
Social media backs parents:
An individual posted, “I trust the mom’s intuition. Moms just know.” Another added, “This story is insane. I’m glad his parents are digging for the truth.” A third joined, “Yeah something isn’t adding up… A whistleblower dies under suspicious circumstances, signs of a fight, no note, and unanswered questions.”
A fourth commented, “The suspicious circumstances around Suchir Balaji’s death—a whistleblower against OpenAI—are deeply troubling. No suicide note, signs of a struggle, and his recent happiness raise serious doubts. The timing, just months after accusing OpenAI of copyright violations, adds even more questions. His family’s heartbreak and the community’s vigil show this isn’t just about one man—it’s about transparency, justice, and the cost of keeping AI secrets hidden. If this is even close to real, what has AI become behind closed doors, and what lengths will be taken to keep it that way?” A fifth wrote, “There definitely needs to be a thorough and open investigation.”
Suchir Balaji was found dead in his San Francisco apartment on November 26. Police found his body following a missing person complaint by his mother, which she filed after failing to get in touch with her son for three days.
“Officers and medics arrived on scene and located a deceased adult male from what appeared to be a suicide,” police said, adding, “No evidence of foul play was found during the initial investigation.”
Balaji, who worked at OpenAI for four years, left the company and accused it of violating copyright laws. In an interview with the New York Times in October, he said that technologies like ChatGPT do more harm than good to society.
