Sam Altman-Backed Startup Campus Hires Former Meta AI Chief

Campus, the college startup supported by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, has appointed Jerome Pesenti, former VP of AI at Meta, as its Chief Technology Officer. The move marks a major step in Campus’s mission to revolutionize higher education through artificial intelligence.

As part of the agreement, Campus will acquire Pesenti’s AI learning platform, Sizzle AI, for an undisclosed sum. Sizzle AI, which delivers personalized AI-generated educational content to more than 1.7 million users, will be integrated into Campus’s system to tailor education to individual learning styles.

“This is a game changer,” said Tade Oyerinde, Campus founder and chancellor, in an interview with CNBC. “The acquisition advances our roadmap by two to three years.”

Campus, founded to disrupt the traditional community college model, offers accredited associate degrees taught by adjunct professors from top universities including Stanford, Princeton, and NYU. The online college currently has over 3,000 enrolled students, charges $7,320 per year, and accepts Pell Grants.

Students receive a laptop, mobile Wi-Fi pack, access to a personal success coach, and 24/7 tutoring support. Professors can earn over $8,000 per course, according to the company’s website.

Campus has raised over $100 million from a high-profile roster of investors, including Peter Thiel’s Founders Fund, General Catalyst, NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal, Palantir co-founder Joe Lonsdale, and Figma CEO Dylan Field.

The addition of Pesenti, who led Meta’s AI research division and previously served as CEO of BenevolentAI, signals Campus’s ambition to merge advanced AI with accessible higher education, creating a personalized and scalable learning experience for students worldwide.