Latest update:26 February 2026, 20:01 IST

Raj Dapper is supported by Hugh Pham, who resigned from OpenAI due to burnout. Pham plans to recover in Vietnam. AI labs face increasing mental health scrutiny amid intense pressure.

Raj Dapper is supported by Hugh Pham, who resigned from OpenAI due to burnout. Pham plans to recover in Vietnam. AI labs face increasing mental health scrutiny amid intense pressure. (Photo: Reuters)

Raj Dapper, a senior research scientist at Google Research Australia, publicly supported former OpenAI researcher Hugh Pham after the latter’s resignation, citing extreme burnout and mental health struggles.

In response to Pham’s announcement about X, Dabre said that working on cutting-edge AI technologies comes with enormous pressures that are often unspoken.

“You have to value honesty here. Working on the border is no joke. Sure, we get paid big, but it takes a huge toll when you’re under tremendous pressure to perform. And at some point, you wonder if it’s all worth it. I’m happy to say this out loud,” Dabri wrote.

OpenAI employee resignation

Hugh Pham, who served as a member of the technical staff at OpenAI and previously worked at xAI and Google DeepMind, resigned from his position after just seven months at the company. He described his exhaustion as “real, miserable, scary and dangerous,” adding that he planned to return to Vietnam with his family to recover.

In his post, Pham described his time leading the AI ​​labs as a “once-in-a-lifetime” opportunity. While he expressed pride in his work and his colleagues, he admitted that the constant pace and pressure had a significant impact on his health.

“I have met the best people. Not the best AI people. Not the best technology people. Simply the best people. At these companies, I helped create highly intelligent entities that meaningfully improve our lives. The work makes me proud. But the intense work has come at a price. I can’t believe I’ll ever say this, but I’m exhausted,” he wrote.

Growing concerns across AI labs

Pham’s departure comes amid growing scrutiny over the mental health toll within elite AI research labs. OpenAI has faced criticism over its internal culture and handling of high-profile exits, including that of Zoe Hitzig, who reportedly resigned due to “deep reservations” about the company’s direction and strategy.

Other major AI companies also face similar concerns. At Anthropic, Mrinank Sharma, head of the collateral research team, resigned from his position while raising alarms about the broader systemic crises associated not only with artificial intelligence, but also with interconnected global risks.

As competition in the global AI race heats up, researchers at the forefront are increasingly speaking out about the psychological cost of innovation – highlighting a growing debate about sustainability, safety and well-being in the industry’s most powerful labs.

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