OpenAI staff are celebrating following the news of its former CEO returning to the helm after a tumultous past few days. News broke over the weekend that OpenAI’s board ousted Altman claiming the co-founder “was not consistently candid in his communications with the board”, which hindered it in excercising its responsibilities thus causing it to lose confidence in him. Shortly after this announcement another was made by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella that Altman, along with another OpenAI co-founder, Greg Brockman, that they and others would be joining Microsoft, who happens to be a key investor for OpenAI. All of this was merely the setting of the stage for even more drama as nearly all of OpenAI’s staff (95% per Forbes) would play a key factor for what came next. A letter was sent to the board demanding that if Altman wasn’t reinstated, and the current board members didn’t resign, the aforementioned staff would walkout to join Altman and Brockman in a new subsidiary at Microsoft.
Excerpt from OpenAI staff:
“Your actions have made it obvious that you are incapable of overseeing OpenAl. We are unable to work for or with people that lack competence, judgement and care for ourmission and employees. We, the undersigned, may choose to resign from OpenAI and join the newly announced Microsoft subsidiary run by Sam Altman and Greg Brockman Microsoft has assured us that there are positions for allOpenAl employees at this new subsidiary should we choose to join. We will take this step imminently, unless all current board members resign, and the board appoints two new lead independent directors, such as Bret Taylor and Will Hurd, and reinstates Sam Altman and Greg Brockman.”
Seeing that it would be difficult, to say the least, to run a company without staff, more changes ensued following the above letter and it has now been announced that Altman and Brockman, and others are returning. A new board has been created with Bret Taylor (Chair), Larry Summers, and Adam D’Angelo.
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.
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) November 22, 2023
We are collaborating to figure out the details. Thank you so much for your patience through this.
Altman and Brockman have been quick to express their gratitude for the support shown by Microsoft and the OpenAI team.
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. when i decided to join msft on sun evening, it was clear that was the best path for me and the team. with the new board and w satya’s support, i’m…
— Sam Altman (@sama) November 22, 2023
OpenAI is nothing without its people https://t.co/XYKLQ61e6l
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) November 22, 2023