On Tuesday, OpenAI announced a significant development—Sam Altman, after being ousted, is set to return as CEO. This marks the culmination of intense discussions surrounding the future of the startup, a pivotal player in the artificial intelligence boom.
Alongside Altman’s reinstatement, the company has tentatively agreed to a partial restructuring of the board of directors that previously dismissed him. Notable additions include Bret Taylor, formerly co-CEO of Salesforce, and Larry Summers, the former US Treasury Secretary, who will join Quora CEO and current director Adam D’Angelo, as per OpenAI’s statement.
Expressing his anticipation for the return, Altman shared on X, “I’m looking forward to returning to OpenAI.” The circumstances leading to Altman’s Friday firing were initially vague, with the board citing his lack of candor and the imperative to uphold OpenAI’s mission of developing AI for the benefit of humanity.
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
This agreement to reinstate Altman signals the potential dawn of a new era for the non-profit startup. OpenAI has long grappled with balancing concerns among its staff regarding the dangers of AI and the possibilities of commercialization. The reshuffle on Tuesday seems to tilt in favor of Altman and Microsoft, a significant financial backer that is globally deploying OpenAI’s technology to business customers.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, in a statement on X, welcomed the changes to OpenAI’s board, viewing them as a crucial step toward more stable, well-informed, and effective governance.
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
Altman’s return concludes a tumultuous weekend during which he agreed to lead a new research team at Microsoft, a major investor in OpenAI. This followed the board’s initial rejection of Altman’s attempt to return, naming ex-Twitch boss Emmett Shear as interim CEO on Sunday.
While the specifics of Altman’s initial departure remain unclear, his perspectives on running the company are expected to shape its future, especially under the oversight of a new board, according to Susannah Streeter, Head of Money and Markets at Hargreaves Lansdown.
Shear, celebrating the late-night outcome on Tuesday, described it as the pathway that maximized safety while doing right by all stakeholders involved, following approximately 72 very intense hours of work.
I am deeply pleased by this result, after ~72 very intense hours of work. Coming into OpenAI, I wasn’t sure what the right path would be. This was the pathway that maximized safety alongside doing right by all stakeholders involved. I’m glad to have been a part of the solution. https://t.co/AGoDBbwhkq
— Emmett Shear (@eshear) November 22, 2023
Altman’s dismissal had raised uncertainties for both OpenAI and Microsoft. The weekend saw quick damage control efforts, with commitments from both companies to hire Altman and Greg Brockman, the startup’s president.
Brockman, who had resigned after Altman’s ouster, announced on X that he was “getting back to coding tonight.” In response to the board’s decision, Altman, expressing unity and commitment, stated on X, “we have more unity and commitment and focus than ever before.”
