OpenAI Appointed New Lead for Infrastructure Units
Uday Ruddarraju takes over compute leadership as the firm manages a projected $750 billion investment plan.
Updated on Oct. 14, 2026 in People
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OpenAI has appointed Uday Ruddarraju to lead its infrastructure and compute units as Sachin Katti transitions to an advisory role. Katti will officially vacate his position as head of infrastructure on November 15, 2026.
Why it matters
The leadership change arrives as OpenAI accelerates its capital expenditure strategy, now targeting $750 billion in compute power spending through 2030. This shift marks a continued push to scale physical hardware capacity alongside its AI software development.
OpenAI now projects $750 billion in infrastructure spending through 2030, an increase from its previous $600 billion estimate. The firm also recently executed a three-month internal push to launch its GPT-Infra business unit.
The players
OpenAI
An artificial intelligence research and development laboratory that builds large-scale machine learning models and infrastructure.
Uday Ruddarraju
The incoming leader for OpenAI's infrastructure and compute units who previously served as CTO for compute.
Sachin Katti
The outgoing head of infrastructure at OpenAI who led the acquisition of gigawatts of capacity and is moving to an advisory role.
Chris Malone
A former executive who departed OpenAI in August 2026.
The details
Uday Ruddarraju, who previously became CTO for compute in July 2026, inherits a massive physical footprint. Under Sachin Katti, the company secured gigawatts of capacity across states including Ohio and Georgia. The company is now leveraging the GPT-Infra team to bridge the gap between AI research advances and commercial business scaling.
Timeline
2025: Uday Ruddarraju joined OpenAI.
July 2026: Ruddarraju became CTO for compute.
August 2026: Chris Malone departed the company.
November 15, 2026: Sachin Katti concludes his role as infrastructure lead.
Through 2030: Projected window for infrastructure spending.
Market Landscape
This leadership transition follows the industry-wide trend of aggressive data center expansion, often intersecting with domestic infrastructure capacity initiatives. The move places OpenAI in direct alignment with firms scaling physical hardware to support large-scale AI deployment.
Operators should track OpenAI's $750 billion compute expansion as a signal for long-term power and data center demand in states like Ohio and Georgia. This capital-intensive strategy reflects a move toward integrating specialized infrastructure directly into the firm's core business model.
The takeaway
Large-scale AI deployment now requires significant investment in physical, geographic-specific infrastructure assets. Monitor regional energy capacity projects as these large firms secure long-term power supply agreements in industrial hubs.
What happens next
Sachin Katti is scheduled to step down from his current position as head of infrastructure on November 15, 2026.
Further reading
Learn more about executive shifts in the People section.
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