A former senior engineer at OpenAI, Calvin French-Owen, has recently shared a candid and detailed account of his experience working at the pioneering AI company. Having spent over a year on the technical team between May 2024 and June 2025, French-Owen offers a rare glimpse into the day-to-day operations, culture, and challenges at OpenAI, a firm renowned for its groundbreaking work in artificial intelligence.
In a blog post that has garnered significant attention, French-Owen describes the high-intensity environment at OpenAI, where innovation and speed are paramount. He highlights the thrill of working on cutting-edge projects like the launch of Codex, OpenAI’s coding agent, while also shedding light on the chaos and exhaustion that often accompany such rapid development cycles.
One of the standout revelations is the company’s unique communication style, with a heavy reliance on Slack for internal coordination. French-Owen notes that this approach, while efficient, contributes to a culture of secrecy and sometimes fragmented information flow, as traditional email is rarely used. This setup reflects OpenAI’s fast-paced, startup-like atmosphere despite its global prominence.
He also touches on the human cost of building world-changing technology, detailing grueling sprints that pushed small teams to their limits. French-Owen’s personal anecdotes, including balancing work with life as a new parent, underscore the intense pressure to deliver under tight deadlines in a competitive AI landscape.
Additionally, French-Owen points out a strong bias towards action and shipping products quickly, often prioritizing speed over exhaustive deliberation. This rapid growth mindset, while driving OpenAI’s meteoric rise, sometimes leads to burnout and raises questions about long-term sustainability for employees.
His reflections provide invaluable insights for aspiring tech professionals and industry watchers alike, painting a picture of OpenAI as a place of brilliance, controlled chaos, and relentless ambition. As AI continues to shape the future, such insider accounts help demystify the inner workings of one of the field’s most influential players.
Maria Lourdes
