In a surprising turn of events, Sam Altman is making a triumphant return as the CEO of OpenAI, just days after being abruptly ousted from the leadership position. The announcement of Altman’s return was made official by OpenAI, with the initial board now to be led by Bret Taylor, former co-CEO of Salesforce Inc. Other directors include Larry Summers, former US Treasury Secretary, and existing member Adam D’Angelo, co-founder and CEO of Quora Inc.
The company is currently working on finalizing the details of this unexpected shakeup, as conveyed in a post on X (formerly Twitter).
We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam Altman to return to OpenAI as CEO with a new initial board of Bret Taylor (Chair), Larry Summers, and Adam D’Angelo.
We are collaborating to figure out the details. Thank you so much for your patience through this.
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) November 22, 2023
Sam Altman expressed his dedication to OpenAI in a tweet, stating, “I love OpenAI, and everything I’ve done over the past few days has been in service of keeping this team and its mission together.” He went on to explain that, with the new board and Satya Nadella’s support, he looks forward to returning to OpenAI and building on their strong partnership with Microsoft.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella also voiced optimism about the changes to the OpenAI board, considering it a crucial first step toward achieving stable and effective governance. Nadella stated, “We are encouraged by the changes to the OpenAI board,” expressing belief that these adjustments are essential for the organization’s continued success.
We are encouraged by the changes to the OpenAI board. We believe this is a first essential step on a path to more stable, well-informed, and effective governance. Sam, Greg, and I have talked and agreed they have a key role to play along with the OAI leadership team in ensuring… https://t.co/djO6Fuz6t9
— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) November 22, 2023
The story so far!
The saga began with the unexpected removal of Sam Altman as CEO, a decision communicated to him over a video call by the OpenAI board. Even the largest shareholder, Microsoft, was notified shortly before the incident occurred, causing shockwaves in the AI community. The board swiftly appointed former Twitch CEO Emmett Shear as the new leader, and Microsoft announced plans to bring Altman on board to head a new in-house AI team.
This abrupt leadership change left a bitter taste among OpenAI employees, with 700 of them threatening to leave the company. They pledged to join Microsoft alongside Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman if Altman was not reinstated. The lack of a clear reason for Altman’s removal from the CEO position further fueled the controversy, with potential legal repercussions looming.
In an unexpected twist on Sunday, a key board member, Ilya Sutskever, switched back to Altman’s side. Throughout this tumultuous period, the dispute over Altman’s removal lacked transparency, even in the face of potential lawsuits from investors.
OpenAI and Sam Altman rose to prominence following the launch of the groundbreaking AI chatbot ChatGPT, which played a pivotal role in popularizing the use of AI for both individuals and businesses. The reinstatement of Altman brings a new chapter to OpenAI’s journey, with expectations high for continued innovation and collaboration with Microsoft.
Featured image credits: X (formerly Twitter)
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