Sam Altman is set to resume his role as CEO at OpenAI, just two days after his unexpected departure and subsequent move to Microsoft. The rapid sequence of changes led to internal upheaval, with an employee revolt against the board threatening the stability of the renowned artificial intelligence company.
The announcement, made in a post on X, disclosed that an agreement in principle had been reached for Altman to return as CEO, with a newly constituted board chaired by Bret Taylor, former co-CEO of Salesforce. Other board members include Adam D’Angelo, CEO of Quora, and Larry Summers, former Treasury Secretary. The company stated, “We are collaborating to figure out the details.”
Altman expressed his anticipation in a post on X, highlighting his eagerness to return to OpenAI and build upon the firm’s strong partnership with Microsoft, its major financial supporter and the creator of ChatGPT.
The recent turmoil stemmed from Altman’s removal, initially attributed to a lack of “candid” communication with the board. However, underlying tensions between Altman, advocating for an aggressive AI development approach, and the original OpenAI board members, who favored a more cautious strategy, played a crucial role.
Initially, Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman announced their move to Microsoft to lead a new AI research division, while OpenAI appointed Emmett Shear as interim CEO. Subsequently, the majority of OpenAI employees threatened to leave, prompting a reconsideration.
In the resolution, Altman and Brockman are returning to OpenAI, and Microsoft’s CEO, Satya Nadella, expressed optimism about the changes to the OpenAI board, considering it an essential step towards stable and effective governance.
