The Transition of Sam Altman from OpenAI to Embrace Microsoft

OpenAI CEO Ousted and Staff exodus

OpenAI, an artificial intelligence powerhouse, experienced a whirlwind when CEO Sam Altman was removed from his position by the board of directors due to what they termed his lack of candor in communication with them, hindering the board’s ability to fulfill its duties. This sudden announcement came after the DevDay conference where Altman revealed multiple new features for the ChatGPT generative AI service. The role of interim CEO went to the company’s CTO Mira Murati, and co-founder Greg Brockman would step down as chairman while remaining at the firm.

Boardroom Coup

The coup was led by OpenAI’s chief scientist Ilya Sutskever and came as a surprise to the major investors, including Microsoft. Sutskever informed Altman of his termination in a Google Meet discussion, which led to Brockman’s spontaneous resignation.

Efforts for Reinstatement

There was a flurry of activity from investors, including Microsoft and VC firm Thrive Capital, to reinstate the ousted founders. The uncertainty prompted OpenAI staff to signal their allegiance to Altman through retweets and a letter signed by 500 of the company’s workers, including Sutskever, indicating their intent to quit unless Altman and Brockman were reinstated.

Microsoft’s Announcement

Amidst the upheaval, Microsoft announced that Altman would lead an in-house “advanced AI research team,” with Brockman and three former OpenAI colleagues joining the venture. Meanwhile, former Twitch CEO Emmett Shear took over as OpenAI’s new interim CEO with a three-point plan to reform the company’s management and leadership team.