Members of Technical Staff 🚨 Emergency Pod 🚨 xAI Engineer Fired for Podcasting?
Jan 20, 2026
This episode dives into the drama surrounding former xAI engineer Sulaiman Khan Ghori's departure. Was it a firing or a calculated exit? Discussion includes key revelations from his podcast interview, sparking reactions about potential insider information. The community's meme-like responses and the speculation around communication protocols and risk aversion at xAI add to the intrigue. Listeners are encouraged to explore the interview for deeper insights into this Silicon Valley saga.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Podcast Interview Sparked The Drama
- Jayden recounts Sully's January 15 Relentless interview and the January 19 post saying he 'left XAI'.
- He frames the episode as the origin of a timeline firestorm that led to widespread reactions online.
Comms Risk Explains Public Fallout
- Jayden observes that AI labs are extremely risk-averse about external communications and comms approval matters a lot.
- He suggests lack of comms sign-off could explain why a public podcast appearance led to a departure narrative.
Peer Reaction Framed The Interview As Leaky
- Jayden reads reactions from peers like Geordie Hayes who noted the interview revealed internal secrets.
- He uses these reactions to show how quickly the community interprets podcast content as sensitive.