Khanna’s request — made in an obvious trade on the social media website X with Balaji’s mom — got here weeks after the whistleblower’s household started publicly questioning a preliminary dedication by the San Francisco County Medical Examiner’s Workplace that the 26-year-old man died of suicide almost two months in the past inside his San Francisco condo. His dad and mom have since commissioned a separate post-mortem of their son’s physique, although they’ve but to supply a replica of its findings.
In his put up Wednesday morning, Khanna appeared to deal with Balaji’s mom immediately, saying “I am heartbroken by your loss,” whereas including that “given your very serious concerns about foul play, I do believe that there should be a full and transparent investigation into the death by the FBI or appropriate agency.”
Khanna later confirmed he authored the social media put up. His remark gave the impression to be in response to a tweet earlier within the morning by Balaji’s mom, Poornima Ramarao, who thanked the congressman “for speaking about our son… and assuring to support us and calling for FBI investigation.”
Congressman Ro Khanna.(Invoice Clark/CQ-Roll Name, Inc./Getty Pictures)
Balaji’s demise in late November has turn into a topic of worldwide fascination.
Even Elon Musk — an early funder of OpenAI who later cut up with the corporate and feuded with its CEO, Sam Altman — has weighed in on Balaji’s demise by doubting the notion that Balaji took his personal life. Musk’s feedback got here throughout an trade on the billionaire’s social media platform, X, through which he replied to a put up by Balaji’s mom that referred to as for the FBI to analyze.
Balaji final spoke to his household on Nov. 22, a day after his twenty sixth birthday. He was discovered lifeless in his Decrease Haight condo 4 days later, after his mom, Poornima Ramarao, insisted that San Francisco police test on him.
Dad and mom of Suchir Balaji, Poornima Ramarao, left, and Balaji Ramamurthy, proper, maintain {a photograph} of their son from 2022, of their residence in Alameda County, Calif., on Monday, Dec. 23, 2024. Suchir Balaji, 26, is a former OpenAI researcher identified for whistleblowing the blockbuster synthetic intelligence firm who was discovered lifeless in his condo this previous Nov.. (Nhat V. Meyer/Bay Space Information Group)
In an interview, Balaji’s dad and mom expressed confusion and shock that Balaji would possibly take his personal life. The tech entrepreneur had already been courting funders for a nonprofit he deliberate to create targeted on the machine studying and neurosciences fields. Within the days earlier than he died, Balaji appeared in good spirits after coming back from a backpacking journey with a number of mates from highschool.
“He was very happy,” Ramarao stated. “He had a blast. He had one of the best times of his life.”
Ramarao referred to as on San Francisco police to re-open their investigation into Balaji’s demise, suggesting that “as grieving parents, we have the right to know what happened to our son.” The household has since began a GoFundMe account to assist pay for a non-public investigator, which had raised greater than $81,600 via Wednesday afternoon.
“He was a witness in a very critical case, and even that is not yet taken into account,” Ramarao stated on the vigil. “That’s most frustrating for us. What’s the value of speaking the truth? What can go wrong that turns his life upside down?”
For individuals who gathered to mourn Balaji’s demise final month, the trigger that he had raised in his closing months nonetheless resonated deeply.
“You cannot replace human creators with computers, and he was pointing that out with his work. And I think he was fighting a battle,” Ganesh Balamitran stated. “I really want this fight to go on, because it is completely important for humans, for their creative spirit to survive and not be taken over by AI.”
In the event you or somebody you understand is combating emotions of melancholy or suicidal ideas, the 988 Suicide & Disaster Lifeline affords free, round the clock help, info and assets for assist. Name or textual content the lifeline at 988, or see the 988lifeline.org web site, the place chat is obtainable.
