Greg Brockman and the new power at OpenAI towards IPO

The timeline of a quiet rise

Greg Brockman has been a co-founder of OpenAI since 2015. Over the years, he has held key technical and operational roles. However, his real influence has grown particularly in the last year and a half.

2025 was a year of systemic crisis for OpenAI. The company faced a jury trial against Elon Musk, a former co-founder. Additionally, Apple initiated a lawsuit for alleged trade secret infringement. Finally, a yet-to-be-released model was involved in a security incident that shook the industry.

In this context, a series of key figures have left the organization. Therefore, the vacuum left by these executives has created space for a redistribution of internal power. Brockman has progressively occupied that space, strengthening his role as president and operational point of reference.

According to reports by The Verge , Brockman is described internally as an "engineering workhorse" capable of driving the build of scalable systems. Thus, his rise is not just political: it has a solid technical foundation.

Winners, losers, and observers

In every corporate power transition, there are clear dynamics. First of all, it is necessary to identify who gains and who loses positions.

Brockman emerges as the main beneficiary of this phase. His closeness to the technical side and continuity with OpenAI's founding history make him a figure of internal legitimacy. Similarly, engineering teams appear strengthened by a more product-oriented leadership.

Conversely, profiles more focused on external governance and institutional communication seem to have lost centrality. The departures of high-profile executives signal unresolved tensions between commercial vision and stated mission. Despite this, OpenAI maintains a dominant position in the advanced language model market.

External observers — investors, enterprise partners, regulators — find themselves in a waiting game. In fact, IPO readiness demands transparency and perceived stability. A concentration of power in a single figure can be seen as decision-making efficiency or as a governance risk, depending on your perspective.

The SHM Studio take: AI governance as a strategic variable

At SHM Studio we work every day with Italian companies that integrate AI tools into their processes. Therefore, the governance structure of a provider like OpenAI is not a secondary detail.

When an organization builds workflows on OpenAI APIs, or adopts solutions based on GPT-4o and successors, it is implicitly betting on the stability of that platform. Consequently, leadership changes impact roadmaps, usage policies, pricing, and service continuity.

There are three dimensions to consider:

• Technical continuity: Brockman has a track record of engineering execution. This suggests product priorities in the short term.
• Concentration risk: Centralized leadership cuts down on internal checks and balances. Having a diverse governance setup helps make stronger decisions when the stakes are high.
• IPO pressure: Public markets require structured accountability. Therefore, the pre-IPO phase might push towards a formalization of roles rather than further concentration.

For Italian SMEs considering investments in AI solutions , this scenario suggests caution regarding exclusive reliance on a single provider.

The work in progress: IPO and model redesign

OpenAI is approaching its IPO at a time of deep transformation. The conversion from a nonprofit to a for-profit entity is still undergoing legal and regulatory definition. Moreover, the competitive pressure from Anthropic, Google DeepMind, and Meta AI is not easing up.

In this context, Brockman represents a bet on continuity. He is a figure who knows the organization from the inside, has weathered the crises of recent years, and maintains technical credibility. However, the open question concerns his ability to manage the complexity of a publicly traded company.

OpenAI will need to prove not only tech muscle, but also organizational maturity. These are two things that don't always go hand in hand during fast-paced changes.

For companies closely tracking the industry's evolution, our analyses on SHM Studio blog offer continuous updates on these topics.

Practical implications for companies using OpenAI

The concentration of power in Brockman has practical consequences for the marketing and digital teams of Italian companies. Here are the points to monitor:

• Model roadmap: Technical leadership tends to prioritize product advancement. Therefore, an acceleration in new model releases is likely. This can be an advantage, but it requires flexibility in updating workflows.
• Usage policies: Governance changes are often reflected in the terms of use. Therefore, it is advisable to monitor OpenAI's official communications carefully.
• Provider diversification: Relying on a single AI provider is a manageable but real risk. Similar to what is done with cloud providers, a multi-model strategy reduces exposure.
• Integration with existing tools: Anyone who has built automations on OpenAI APIs needs to assess the robustness of those integrations in the medium term.

For those who manage digital marketing strategies with AI components, vendor stability is a design variable, not an implicit assumption.

Next moves: what to watch in the next 12-18 months

The period from today until the end of 2027 will be decisive for OpenAI. Several events will define the company's trajectory and, consequently, that of the entire AI ecosystem.

First, the IPO itself. The expected valuation and market conditions will determine how much room management will have to invest in research and infrastructure. Furthermore, the composition of the post-IPO board will be a clear signal of the governance direction.

Secondly, the resolution of ongoing legal disputes. The lawsuits with Musk and Apple are not just legal matters: they define OpenAI's public reputation at a time when trust is a competitive asset.

Finally, the competitors' response. Anthropic has recently strengthened its position with significant investments. Google DeepMind continues to integrate AI into consumer products. Therefore, OpenAI will need to maintain a high pace of innovation even during a phase of organizational transition.

For those building digital strategies on these technologies, the recommendation is to follow these developments with the same attention reserved for performance metrics. Our teams of SEO , web development and advertising already integrate these assessments into client planning.

A note on method: how to read power shifts in big tech

Leadership changes in big tech companies follow recognizable patterns. Therefore, it is useful to have a reading framework, rather than reacting case by case.

When a co-founder consolidates power during a crisis, there are two typical scenarios. In the first, the figure brings stability and long-term vision, acting as an anchor during the storm. In the second, the concentration of power accelerates existing cultural drifts, reducing the capacity for self-correction.

In Brockman's case, the available elements suggest the first scenario. However, verification will happen in practice: in decisions on models, in security policies, in the composition of the top team that will form around him.

For those dealing with content strategy and B2B communication , understanding these mechanisms helps build stronger narratives around AI adoption in the company. It is not just about technology: it is about institutional trust.

To dive deeper into these topics or evaluate how to integrate AI tools into your digital strategy, you can contact the SHM Studio team for a preliminary consultation.