Liam Fedus, the Vice President of Post-Training Research at OpenAI, is set to leave the company to launch an AI startup focused on materials science.

The Information was the first to report on Fedus's plans. In a statement on X, Fedus confirmed the report and provided additional details.

"I studied physics as an undergraduate, and I'm eager to apply this technology in that field," Fedus stated. "AI in the scientific domain is one of the most strategically important areas for OpenAI. To achieve [Artificial Superintelligence], OpenAI intends to invest in and collaborate with my new venture."

Fedus's company will compete with firms like Google DeepMind and Microsoft in the burgeoning AI materials science sector. In 2023, DeepMind claimed its AI system, Gnome, discovered crystals that could be used to create new materials. Recently, Microsoft launched a pair of material discovery AI tools called MatterGen and MatterSim.

Some experts remain skeptical about whether current AI can genuinely drive innovative scientific discoveries.