Chaya Nayak holds a BA in Global Studies (Security, Peace Studies, Spanish) from the University of Wisconsin and a MA in Public Policy from the University of California. What role will Chaya Nayak take on at Openai?
Meta, which was led by Mark Zuckerberg, has seen several high-profile exits from its AI division for various reasons. Chaya Nayak, an Indian-born techie, has become the latest departure from rival company Openai. According to Nayak’s profile, she took on the role of Director of Product Management, Head of Generative AI.
Who is Chaya Nayak?
Indian-origin techie Chaya Nayak has held several key roles over the decade since Meta was founded. She joined Meta as a “Data for Good” manager in October 2016 and was later promoted to Product Manager and Head of Research and Transparency in June 2018. “I remember my first few weeks at Facebook like it was yesterday. I joined to help drive data for good, to show how data and AI/ML could benefit the world. What started as a bold experiment has become the foundation of my career,” she wrote.
Nayak has developed innovative products, including disaster maps, to support communities in crisis. She also founded Facebook’s Open Research and Transparency team to work on issues like data cleansing, differential privacy, and clean spaces. Nayak has played a key role in critical global moments, such as the 2020 US election, where she has co-authored several papers in leading journals, including Science, on the impact of Meta on democracy. “Along the way, I became a leader. I learned confidence, the courage to pursue challenging ideas, and resilience when things didn’t go as planned. Most importantly, I built a network of colleagues and friends who shaped me and inspired me every step of the way,” she added.
Chaya Nayak joins Openai
According to her LinkedIn profile, Nayak holds a BA in Global Studies (Security, Peace Studies, Spanish) from the University of Wisconsin and a MA in Public Policy from the University of California. Nayak will lead special initiatives at Openai alongside Irina Kofman, another former Meta employee who jumped ship to Chatgpt creator last year. Of joining Sam Altman’s company, she said, “It feels like the perfect next chapter: taking everything I’ve learned and pouring it into work that will help shape what’s next for technology and society.”
