OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman is set to return as CEO after being ousted by the company’s board of directors a few days ago, reports Axios. Additionally, a revamped board of directors, led by former Salesforce co-CEO Bret Taylor and former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, was announced.
This “in principle” agreement follows employee support for Altman, expressed through a critical open letter threatening mass resignations unless his reinstatement takes place.
What happened to Sam Altman?
The clash of leaders within OpenAI, the brains behind the ChatGPT AI chatbotcame abruptly last Friday when the board of directors suddenly announced the firing of co-founder and CEO Sam Altman.
The board cited Altman’s alleged lack of consistent candor in his communications as the primary reason for its loss of confidence in his leadership. The board consisted of just six people, including Altman and his co-founder. Greg Brockmanwho resigned following Altman’s dismissal.
The OpenAI board shakeup and how Microsoft got involved
The creation of the new board will likely bring an end to the recent drama surrounding the $80 billion company, when OpenAI’s nonprofit board voted to remove Altman.
Notable figures like former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and current board member Adam D’Angelo, co-founder of Quora, will join the restructured board. Additionally, OpenAI’s chief scientist, Ilya Sutskever, and independent directors, Tasha McCauley and Helen Toner, will leave the company. Greg Brockman too confirmed his return in a post on.
By giving Altman a leadership position in advanced AI research, Microsoft played a key role in the chaos. Altman’s impeachment sparked events, including Brockman’s resignation. The decision involved three non-employee board members and Sutskever, who later issued an apology.
A crucial aspect of the deal involves an independent investigation into the events leading to Altman’s initial dismissal, addressing concerns about transparency.
“I can’t wait to get back to OpenAI,” Mr. Altman said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
He added: “I love OpenAI, and everything I’ve done over the last few days has served to keep this team and its mission together.
He added that the company would build on its “strong partnership with Microsoft.”
Featured image: Sam Altman provided by Flickr/TechCrunch, Creative Commons 2.0 License