OpenAI is planning major changes next year, including the introduction of an entirely new logo. But according to Fortune, staff who got a sneak peek at what appeared to be the new logo at a recent all-hands meeting were not too keen on it. Gone is the company’s hexagonal flower symbol, which has become quite recognizable thanks to the popularity of ChatGPT. Instead, it’s been replaced by a big black “O” or a simple ring or circle, which staff reportedly found uncreative and even sinister.
As the magazine’s sources explained, the new logo appears to be the polar opposite of OpenAI’s current logo, which was designed to convey “precision, possibility and optimism.” The company apparently began the redesign a year ago when it hired new talent for its in-house creative and design team. One of the reasons OpenAI is going for a completely new look is because it doesn’t own the typeface used in its logo or website, according to Fortune. The company is perhaps trying to solidify its identity as it becomes a more household name.
Fortune previously reported that OpenAI will change its complicated nonprofit corporate structure next year. The company started as a nonprofit, and its for-profit arm is still managed by the nonprofit. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reportedly told employees that the company will move away from a nonprofit and become a more traditional for-profit company. But if OpenAI leaders listen to employee feedback, the new OpenAI will debut with a different logo — and one that even people inside the company might find sinister.
