Chaya Nayak is an Indian-origin tech executive who recently left her position as Director of Product Management for Generative AI at Meta to join OpenAI. Her move is seen as a significant gain for OpenAI and a notable loss for Meta, especially as several AI researchers and executives are departing from Meta's Superintelligence Lab. Nayak's career reflects a commitment to leveraging data and AI for social impact, making her a valuable addition to OpenAI's team.

Nayak holds a bachelor's degree in Global Studies, with a focus on Security, Peace Studies, and Spanish, from the University of Wisconsin. She also holds a master's degree in Public Policy and Data Science from the University of California, Berkeley. Her academic background reflects her interest in the intersection of policy, technology, and data-driven analysis for social impact.

Nayak's career began with a variety of roles in project management, environmental sustainability, and consulting. She worked as a project manager at Pathways to Empowerment in Pune, India, and later as a Geographic Information Specialist for the City of Milwaukee's Office of Environmental Sustainability. She also held positions at The Ergo Group, the Institute for the Future, Samasource, Quid, and Premise Data Corporation, focusing on data-driven policy and engineering solutions.

Nayak joined Meta (formerly Facebook) in 2016 as Head of Data for Good. In this role, she spearheaded initiatives to demonstrate how data science could be applied for social good. Her work involved building products to support communities in crisis, such as Disaster Maps, and leading the Facebook Open Research and Transparency (FORT) team. The FORT team focused on data cleaning, differential privacy, and data clean rooms to enable responsible research on the platform. Nayak's efforts facilitated independent research on Meta's role in democracy, with findings published in journals like Science. During her time at Meta, Nayak contributed to navigating critical global events, including the 2020 U.S. elections.

In recent years, Nayak took on the role of Director of Product Management for Generative AI at Meta. She spearheaded Meta's Generative AI efforts, including the development of three iterations of the company's Llama models and the launch of Meta AI. Her work in this role was aimed at helping Meta compete in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

Nayak's move to OpenAI marks a new chapter in her career. She will be joining the Special Initiatives team, working with Irina Kofman to explore new opportunities at the frontier of AI. Nayak expressed excitement about shaping the future of technology and society in this new role. Her expertise in transparency, responsible data use, and generative AI is expected to contribute to OpenAI's long-term mission.

Nayak's departure from Meta is part of a broader trend of high-profile individuals leaving the company's Superintelligence Lab for OpenAI and other ventures. This trend highlights OpenAI's ability to attract senior talent and raises questions about Meta's ability to retain its AI leaders amidst fierce competition in the AI industry.