Former OpenAI and xAI engineer Hieu Pham resigns and returns to Vietnam: High-pressure AI work leads to physical and mental exhaustion

On February 26, according to Business Insider, former OpenAI and xAI employee Hieu Pham announced his departure, stating that the intense work at the cutting-edge AI labs left him exhausted, and he will return to his home country, Vietnam, to recover. Pham said on X that his experience at OpenAI and xAI was “unforgettable,” involving the development of highly intelligent systems to improve lives, but the job also came with heavy personal costs.

Pham added, “The mental health issues I once mocked are now very real, and they are painful, frightening, and dangerous.” He hopes to try new things and find ways to heal his mental and physical health during his return to Vietnam. According to his LinkedIn, Pham joined xAI in August 2024 and previously joined OpenAI in August of last year. After working at OpenAI for about seven months, he chose to leave.

Pham’s departure comes amid a wave of resignations from leading AI research labs. Earlier this month, Anthropic safety research head Mrinank Sharma announced his departure, citing potential risks from the disconnect between intelligence and influence growth. Another researcher, Dylan Scandinaro, also moved from Anthropic to OpenAI to lead emergency preparedness, noting that AI development is rapid, with enormous potential benefits, but also irreversible risks.

Additionally, the high-pressure work culture in the industry has attracted attention. Nathan Lambert, senior scientist at the Allen Institute for AI, said on the “Lex Friedman Podcast” that employees at OpenAI and Anthropic often work voluntary overtime, with six-day workweeks and up to 12 hours a day becoming the norm. While this pressure-driven culture promotes technological innovation, it also poses significant challenges to employees’ mental and physical health.

Overall, Pham’s departure and the industry-wide wave of resignations highlight the impact of the intense work environment at AI labs on employees’ mental health, raising concerns among industry insiders and investors about talent sustainability and long-term innovation.