OpenAI CEO Sam Altman removed from position by board vote (The Guardian)
OpenAI President Greg Brockman resigns same day (The Information)
Leadership change happened swiftly, Altman given short notice (CNN)
Microsoft caught off guard by leadership change (Wired)
Multiple senior researchers resign after leadership change (CNBC)
OpenAI, the developer behind ChatGPT, made an abrupt announcement on Friday that its CEO and co-founder Sam Altman had been removed from his position by a board vote (The Guardian, Wired). OpenAI claimed Altman had not been “consistently candid” in communications with the board, hindering its oversight duties, though no further specifics were provided (CNN). Sources describe Altman only being given short notice of the decision right before the public announcement (CNN). Greg Brockman, OpenAI’s president and another co-founder, resigned the same day, saying he and Altman were “shocked and saddened” (The Information).
The leadership overhaul unfolded swiftly, catching many by surprise. Employees were not given any advance warning, nor were key partners like Microsoft (Wired). OpenAI staff subsequently asked if it was a “coup” or “hostile takeover” by the board, to which chief scientist Ilya Sutskever largely agreed it could be characterized that way (The Guardian). But Sutskever maintained it was the board fulfilling its duty to advance OpenAI’s mission of developing AI to benefit humanity (The Guardian).
There is speculation that tensions over the pace of AI development and commercialization may have contributed to the shakeup. Altman appeared to favor more aggressive advancement, while some board members preferred more caution (CNN). Sources cite a recent developer conference where OpenAI announced expanded public access to create custom ChatGPT models as an “inflection point” of Altman pushing too far for chief scientist Sutskever, who then convinced the board to remove him (CNN).
OpenAI has experienced exponential growth from a small research lab to a prominent company. But its governance did not necessarily keep up, leaving Altman more vulnerable with limited founder protections (CNBC). The sacking presents an opportunity to install leadership with more governance expertise and reassess OpenAI’s core mission (Exponential View). It also highlights issues facing the AI industry as it seeks to responsibly oversee rapidly advancing technology (The Guardian).
The surprise leadership change may slow OpenAI’s rapid pace of product releases as it regroups (Wired). Competitors may see an opening to gain ground amid the turmoil (The Information). But some hope new leadership can enable more measured AI capability advancement (Exponential View).
Three senior researchers resigned the same day as Brockman in the aftermath (CNBC). Interim CEO Mira Murati told staff that Microsoft remains confident in OpenAI despite Altman’s removal (The Information). Altman and Brockman have hinted at future ventures together following their departures (The Information).