Sam Altman is back as OpenAI CEO just days after being removed, along with a new board

Sam Altman is returning as the CEO of OpenAI just days after he was removed from his position, along with the announcement of a new board to lead the company. This development marks the end of a tumultuous power struggle within OpenAI, which garnered significant attention in the tech industry and raised questions about the safe development of artificial intelligence.

OpenAI, headquartered in San Francisco, released a statement on Tuesday confirming an agreement in principle for Sam Altman’s return as CEO, accompanied by a new initial board. This new board will be chaired by former Salesforce co-CEO Bret Taylor, who previously chaired Twitter’s board before its acquisition by Elon Musk’s company last year. Other members of the board will include former U.S. Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo.

The previous board of directors at OpenAI, which included D’Angelo, had removed Altman without providing specific reasons, leading to internal turmoil within the company and mounting pressure from its investors.

Sam Altman has been a prominent figure in the field of generative AI, particularly since the introduction of ChatGPT a year ago. However, some members of the company’s board expressed concerns about the safety risks associated with advanced AI technologies.

Microsoft, a major investor in OpenAI with rights to its existing technology, swiftly moved to hire Altman and another co-founder and former president, Greg Brockman, who had resigned in protest following Altman’s removal. This move prompted nearly all of OpenAI’s 770 employees to call for the board’s resignation and Altman’s reinstatement.

One of the board members involved in Altman’s removal, OpenAI co-founder and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, later expressed regret and joined the demand for the board’s resignation.

Microsoft had previously expressed its willingness to welcome OpenAI employees who wished to join Altman and Brockman in a new AI research unit at the company. Microsoft’s CEO, Satya Nadella, also indicated that Altman’s return to OpenAI was possible, provided the governance issues within the startup were resolved.

In response to these developments, Satya Nadella posted on X, stating, “We are encouraged by the changes to the OpenAI board. We believe this is a first essential step on a path to more stable, well-informed, and effective governance.”

Sam Altman expressed his anticipation for returning to OpenAI with the support of the new board and Microsoft’s partnership.

OpenAI, originally established by Altman as a nonprofit organization with a mission to develop artificial general intelligence surpassing human capabilities for the benefit of humanity, later transitioned into a for-profit business while maintaining a nonprofit board of directors. It remains to be seen if the board’s structure will undergo changes with the new members.

OpenAI acknowledged that they are collaborating to work out the details of these changes and expressed gratitude for the patience of stakeholders.

Greg Brockman, who was OpenAI’s board chairman before Altman’s removal, returned to social media, highlighting a feature called ChatGPT Voice and alluding to the recent developments with a touch of humor.

Emmett Shear, who briefly served as interim CEO of OpenAI during the tumultuous period following Altman’s removal, expressed his satisfaction with the resolution, emphasizing the importance of safety and fairness for all stakeholders involved in the organization’s mission.

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More about OpenAI Leadership

• Sam Altman Returns as OpenAI CEO
• New OpenAI Board Members
• Reasons for Sam Altman’s Removal
• Microsoft’s Involvement in OpenAI
• AI Safety Concerns
• OpenAI’s Organizational Structure
• Tech Industry Reaction
• Satya Nadella’s Role
• Greg Brockman’s Social Media Response
• Emmett Shear’s Reaction