Sam Altman to return as OpenAI CEO after an agreement

Sam Altman, the former CEO ousted by OpenAI, has agreed to return to the company in his previous role as CEO after discussions with board members Bret Taylor (Chair), Larry Summers, and Adam D'Angelo.

OpenAI, renowned for ChatGPT, terminated its CEO, Sam Altman, on November 17, following which he accepted a position at Microsoft

 

Satya Nadella, Microsoft's CEO, expressed encouragement for the changes in the OpenAI board, considering it a crucial step towards stable and effective governance.

What

 

• On November 17, OpenAI announced the removal of CEO Sam Altman from his position.
• This decision followed a review that highlighted inconsistencies in his communications with the board, leading to a loss of trust in his leadership abilities at OpenAI.
• Concurrently, Greg Brockman, a co-founder, resigned from his role as President on the same day.

Greg Brockman also confirmed his return on X.

The aftermath

• After Sam Altman was unexpectedly removed, many OpenAI staff became upset, and most said they would leave unless Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman were brought back.
• Microsoft's CEO, Satya Nadella showed commitment to OpenAI and Altman regardless of the situation.
• Emmett Shear, the temporary leader of OpenAI, was reportedly part of the talks.

Microsoft, being OpenAI's biggest investor, offered Altman a job. 

The board's choice to remove Altman, which resulted in Brockman's resignation, led to significant upheaval.

The decision was made by three board members—Adam D'Angelo, Tasha McCauley, and Helen Toner—alongside co-founder Ilya Sutskever.

Previously, OpenAI had a six-member board before recent developments.

In response to widespread discontent, 743 out of 770 employees signed a letter demanding the board's resignation, issuing a threat of mass departures if their demands were not heeded.

Ongoing negotiations are underway to address the concerns within the company.