OpenAI acquires Statsig for $1.1B in stock, appoints founder as CTO of Apps

OpenAI has completed one of the largest acquisitions in its company history.

Deal Overview

OpenAI announced an all-stock acquisition of product testing startup Statsig, valuing the deal at $1.1 billion (based on OpenAI's $300 billion valuation). Statsig founder Vijaye Raji (of Indian descent) will join OpenAI as CTO of Applications, overseeing engineering teams for high-impact products like ChatGPT and Codex.

Why This Acquisition Matters

Statsig is a platform focused on A/B testing and product experimentation, widely adopted by tech companies across Silicon Valley. The core logic behind OpenAI's acquisition isn't buying a product, but acquiring talent and infrastructure capabilities—with AI product competition heating up, ChatGPT and Codex need stronger product engineering to support rapid iteration.

Vijaye Raji previously held key engineering roles at Microsoft and Facebook, leading Statsig to become a benchmark tool in the product experimentation space. This deal also signals that OpenAI is accelerating its transformation from a "research lab" into a "product company."

Industry Impact

• OpenAI's increased M&A activity aligns with its recent trend of hiring executives from Microsoft and Meta.
• The battle for AI product engineering talent is intensifying; the addition of the Statsig team will directly impact the product experience of ChatGPT and Codex.
• The $1.1 billion valuation reaffirms OpenAI's confidence in its own valuation.

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