OpenAI has announced an agreement in principle for Sam Altman to return as CEO. The new initial board will comprise Bret Taylor as Chair, along with Larry Summers and Adam D’Angelo.
“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,” it said on X (formerly Twitter).
While the agreement signals a pivotal shift in leadership, the organization is currently collaborating to finalize the intricate details of this transition. OpenAI expressed gratitude for the patience of its community throughout this process.
OpenAI change of leadership
Before this, OpenAI announced a leadership transition on November 18, 2023, with Mira Murati appointed as interim CEO to lead the company, and Sam Altman departing the company. The company had said that Sam Altman’s departure from OpenAI is the result of a thorough review process by the board.
The board found that Altman’s communication lacked consistent candor, impeding the board’s ability to fulfill its responsibilities. As a consequence, the board lost confidence in Altman’s capacity to effectively lead OpenAI, leading to his departure from the organization.
Shortly after, news emerged that hundreds of OpenAI employees were threatening to quit unless Sam Altman was reinstated as CEO. The employees demanded the return of Altman and President of OpenAI Greg Brockman, who had also left as a result.
The employees who threatened to quit also said they would join the newly announced Microsoft subsidiary run by Altman and Brockman, saying they had received assurances from Microsoft that it had positions for all OpenAI employees.
Microsoft CEO and Sam Altman
Sam had plans to join Microsoft and lead its AI mission after leaving OpenAI. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella confirmed this in an X post, stating that Sam Altman and Greg Brockman would be spearheading a new advanced AI research team at Microsoft.
However, amidst all of this, Altman was still considering a return to OpenAI if the board of directors resigned due to the employee revolt. Recent reports indicate that following negotiations between OpenAI’s board, Altman, and prominent investor Bill Gates, Sam Altman has been reinstated as the CEO of OpenAI, just five days after being fired.
