In recent days there had been fears for the future of ChatGPT, since its company OpenAI had entered an unsustainable situation. The dismissal of Sam Altman as CEO provoked the anger of the rest of the workers, who stood up and threatened to leave the company. In the end, the pressure has had its effect and the return of Altman as CEO calms the waters in ChatGPTlandia.
In a decision provoked by the reaction of its employees, the OpenAI board of directors has been forced to return to the situation of a few days ago. Also returning alongside Altman is another heavyweight, Greg Brockman, former president and co-founder, who resigned in protest of Altman’s firing.
Altman is reinstated as CEO of OpenAI
It’s been a turbulent few days at OpenAI. The board of directors of the Artificial Intelligence giant decided to dismiss and fire Sam Altman at the head of the company that he has led to success in a decision that was difficult to understand in what has been the most cutting-edge year for the creators of ChatGPT and DALL -AND.
The company said in a statement that it has an “agreement in principle” for Altman to return along with a new board consisting of Bret Taylor, Larry Summers and Adam D’Angelo. D’Angelo is a holdover from the previous board that initially fired Altman last Friday. He is said to remain on this new board to give some representation to the previous board.
OpenAI
@OpenAI
We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam Altman to return to OpenAI as CEO with a new initial board of Bret Taylor (Chair), Larry Summers, and Adam D’Angelo.
We are collaborating to figure out the details. Thank you so much for your patience through this.
November 22, 2023 • 16:15
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Sam Altman, who was going to be hired by Microsoft, wanted to declare that his intention was always to return to OpenAI, a company that this year has led to a peak of popularity in the development of Artificial Intelligence, with ChatGPT at the head. In statements on social networks such as X has said the following:
«I love OpenAI and everything I have done in the last few days has been to keep this team and its mission together. When I decided to join Microsoft on Sunday afternoon, it was clear that this was the best path for me and the team. “With the support of the new board and Satya Nadella, I look forward to returning to OpenAI and building on our strong partnership with Microsoft.”
Precisely Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, one of the main investors in OpenAI, has celebrated this return to calm: «We are encouraged by the changes on the OpenAI board. We believe this is an essential first step on the path to more stable, better informed and effective governance. Sam, Greg and I spoke and agreed that they have a key role to play alongside the OpenAI leadership team to ensure it continues to thrive and develop its mission. “We look forward to building on our strong partnership and delivering the value of this next generation of AI to our customers and partners.”
ChatGPT was in danger
The OpenAI tool could have stopped operating normally if the team’s threats had come true. Their demands were very clear and 95% of the staff supported them: either Altman, Brockman and company would return, or they would also go to Microsoft.
To the OpenAI board of directors,
OpenAI is the world’s leading AI company. We, the employees of OpenAI, have developed the best models and taken the industry to new frontiers. Our work on AI safety and governance shapes global standards. The products we build are used by millions of people around the world. Until now, the company we work for and love has never been in a stronger position.
The process by which you fired Sam Altman and removed Greg Brockman from the board of directors has jeopardized all of this work and undermined our mission and our company. His conduct has made it clear that you do not have the capacity to oversee OpenAI.
When we all unexpectedly learned of their decision, OpenAI’s leadership team acted quickly to stabilize the company. They listened carefully to your concerns and tried to cooperate with you in all aspects. Despite many requests for specific facts for their accusations, they have never provided any written proof. They also increasingly realized that you were not capable of carrying out your duties and that you were acting in bad faith.
The leadership team suggested that the most stabilizing path forward—the one that would best serve our mission, the company, the stakeholders, the employees, and the public—would be for you to step down and establish a qualified board that could lead the company forward with stability.
Leadership worked with you around the clock to find a mutually acceptable outcome. However, two days after their initial decision, they again replaced interim CEO Mira Murati against the company’s best interests. They also informed the leadership team that allowing the company to be destroyed “would be consistent with the mission.”
Their actions have made it clear that they are incapable of overseeing OpenAI. We cannot work for or with people who lack competence, judgment, and care for our mission and our employees. We, the undersigned, may choose to resign from OpenAI and join the recently announced Microsoft subsidiary led by Sam Altman and Greg Brockman. Microsoft has assured us that there are positions for all OpenAI employees in this new subsidiary should we decide to join. We will take this step imminently unless all current board members resign and the board appoints two new lead independent directors, including Bret Taylor and Will Hurd, and reinstates Sam Altman and Greg Brockman.
