In a recent announcement made on the platform X (formerly known as Twitter), OpenAI revealed that Sam Altman, the former CEO ousted a week ago, is set to return to his role. The decision, prompted by substantial pressure from both employees and investors on the board, marks a swift change in leadership.
OpenAI disclosed that Bret Taylor, former co-CEO of Salesforce, and Larry Summers, former Treasury Secretary, will join the board, with Taylor taking the position of chairman. Adam D’Angelo, CEO of the question-and-answer platform Quora, will remain on the board.
Expressing gratitude for patience during this period, OpenAI stated on X, “We are working together to finalize the specifics.”
Earlier this week, a letter signed by numerous employees, including co-founder and board member Ilya Sutskever, warned of a mass migration to Microsoft if the board didn’t step down and reinstate Altman.
Microsoft’s CEO, Satya Nadella, recently announced that Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman would collaborate with Microsoft to establish a new AI lab. This followed the appointment of Emmett Shear, former CEO of Twitch, as Altman’s interim replacement, overturning the initial decision to appoint Mira Murati, OpenAI’s technology chief, to the role.
Altman shared his anticipation for rejoining OpenAI in a post on X, expressing appreciation for the new board and Microsoft’s support. Nadella, in his own X post, commended the board changes at OpenAI, highlighting the importance of stable governance for the organization’s mission.
The swift reinstatement of Altman gained traction when notable investors like Microsoft, Tiger Global, Thrive Capital, and Sequoia Capital sought to reverse the board’s decision, despite lacking board seats and being unaware of the initial ousting.
Reflecting the sentiment, Altman conveyed his affection for the OpenAI team, a sentiment echoed by Brockman and other employees on X.
OpenAI gained significant attention after the release of its ChatGPT chatbot in late 2022, which allows users to engage in detailed conversations by inputting simple text queries.
Altman has been leading the company since 2019 and was a prominent figure in AI research and product development.
Unlike typical Silicon Valley setups, OpenAI operated as part of a nonprofit without the traditional founder-controlled equity structure. The board oversaw the nonprofit’s activities, as stated in a recent blog post.
Sutskever and Brockman, part of OpenAI’s founding team, had support from original investors like Altman, Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, and Elon Musk, who reportedly committed $1 billion to the project.
Brockman expressed enthusiasm for returning to OpenAI and resuming coding in a post on X.
The initial dismissal of Altman drew parallels to significant historical moments, with some likening it to Apple’s decision to remove Steve Jobs, emphasizing the impact of visionary leadership.
Several prominent figures in the tech industry voiced their support for Altman, with comparisons to iconic founders and acknowledgement of his impact on the AI landscape.
Nadella, who has heavily invested in OpenAI and maintains a close technological partnership, was reportedly taken aback by the decision, emphasizing the need to prioritize stakeholders’ interests.
Emmett Shear, the interim replacement, expressed satisfaction in being part of the resolution in an X post.
