Liam Fedus, who previously served as OpenAI’s Vice President of Post-Training Research, has announced his departure from the company to establish a new startup focused on leveraging artificial intelligence in the field of materials science.
The Information first broke the news of Fedus’ career move, which he later confirmed on the social media platform X. In his post, Fedus shared his excitement about returning to his academic roots. “My undergraduate background is in physics, and I’m eager to bring cutting-edge AI capabilities into this field,” he stated. He also noted that OpenAI, recognizing the importance of AI in scientific advancement and its role in pursuing artificial superintelligence (ASI), intends to both invest in and collaborate with his upcoming venture.
Fedus’ new company will enter an increasingly competitive space, going head-to-head with major tech players like Google DeepMind and Microsoft. In recent developments within this sector, DeepMind introduced ‘Gnome,’ an AI platform that reportedly identified promising new crystal structures for materials development. Meanwhile, Microsoft has launched two AI-based tools — MatterGen and MatterSim — designed to accelerate the discovery and simulation of advanced materials.
Despite growing excitement and rapid advancements, there remains ongoing debate among scientists and AI researchers about whether current AI models can truly achieve groundbreaking scientific innovation or whether they are merely powerful tools for enhancing human-led discovery.
As AI continues to expand its influence into scientific research, Fedus’ departure signals the growing belief that artificial intelligence could play a transformative role in solving some of the most complex challenges in materials science — from designing new compounds to discovering materials with unprecedented properties.