In a surprising turn of events, Sam Altman is set to reclaim his position as the Chief Executive Officer of OpenAI, the prominent tech startup behind the revolutionary ChatGPT. The announcement comes after a week of turmoil, marked by Altman’s abrupt removal, employee protests, and a series of unexpected developments.
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.
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) November 22, 2023
The upheaval began last Friday when the board of the nonprofit group overseeing OpenAI announced Altman’s removal, citing concerns about his communication transparency. The move triggered a cascade of events resembling a corporate drama, blending elements of “Succession” and “Silicon Valley.”
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
During the tumultuous week, OpenAI appointed two interim CEOs, rumors circulated about Altman joining Microsoft (later clarified), and negotiations for his return faced multiple setbacks. Meanwhile, OpenAI employees, demonstrating remarkable solidarity, threatened mass resignations in protest of Altman’s ousting.
Late Tuesday, OpenAI confirmed that Altman and the board had reached an agreement in principle for his return as CEO. The company revealed plans to establish a new board, with three initial members: Bret Taylor, former co-CEO of Salesforce; Larry Summers, former White House adviser and Harvard University President; and Adam D’Angelo, CEO of Quora and a former early Facebook employee. The new board replaces outgoing members, including Tasha McCauley, Ilya Sutskever, and Helen Toner.
satya and my top priority remains to ensure openai continues to thrive
we are committed to fully providing continuity of operations to our partners and customers
the openai/microsoft partnership makes this very doable
— Sam Altman (@sama) November 20, 2023
In a statement, Altman expressed his happiness at the prospect of returning as CEO, emphasizing his dedication to OpenAI’s mission. He also welcomed the new board, expressing optimism about building on the strong partnership with Microsoft. The collaborative effort to finalize the details of this transition was acknowledged by OpenAI in an unsigned post, thanking stakeholders for their patience.
OpenAI’s governance structure, a unique combination of nonprofit and for-profit entities, has been a subject of speculation. The nonprofit’s board, which had the ultimate say, faced criticism for lacking oversight from external parties like shareholders.
Sam Altman, a prominent figure in San Francisco’s tech scene for a decade, has not only been an investor and startup adviser but also led OpenAI to become the hottest startup in the industry. The sudden removal of Altman prompted a swift defense from high-profile figures, including former Google CEO Eric Schmidt. More than 740 of OpenAI’s 770 employees signed a letter advocating for Altman’s return, underlining the significance of his leadership within the organization.
While Altman’s return marks a resolution to the immediate crisis, the future of OpenAI remains uncertain. The company’s distinctive governance structure and the aftermath of this leadership shake-up will undoubtedly be subjects of ongoing scrutiny and discussion within the tech community.
