When OpenAI’s board made the shocking decision to fire CEO Sam Altman, it sparked a power struggle that had been brewing behind closed doors for months. The board cited Altman’s lack of transparency and consistency in communication as the reasons for his dismissal. However, as more details emerge, it becomes clear that tensions between Altman and the board had been simmering for some time.
During discussions about Altman’s possible return as CEO, he offered to publicly apologize for misrepresenting some board members’ views. However, the board felt that an apology focused on a single incident would not address the deeper issues they had with Altman’s leadership.
The board, consisting of OpenAI Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever, Quora Inc. CEO Adam D’Angelo, AI academic Helen Toner, and entrepreneur Tasha McCauley, had already been considering Altman’s removal earlier in the fall. They had heard concerns from senior executives at OpenAI who had issues with Altman but were hesitant to speak out for fear of retaliation.
Altman’s relationship with Sutskever had been strained, leading to a reduction in Sutskever’s responsibilities at the company. Altman also attempted to have Toner removed from her position due to a research paper she co-authored containing criticism of OpenAI’s safety practices. Altman’s conversations with the board members during this time were deemed manipulative and ultimately led to his ousting.
In the aftermath of Altman’s removal, the majority of OpenAI’s workforce signed a letter threatening to quit unless he was reinstated. This unexpected show of support for Altman led to negotiations for his return, which included demands for a statement absolving him of wrongdoing. Eventually, Altman was reinstated, but Toner and McCauley resigned from their positions on the board.
The details surrounding Altman’s firing and subsequent reinstatement highlight the tensions and power struggles that can arise within companies, even in the realm of artificial intelligence startups. OpenAI’s board is now undergoing an independent review led by lawyers from WilmerHale to further investigate the situation and make improvements to the company’s governance structure.
The focus for OpenAI moving forward remains the development and release of useful and safe AI, as well as supporting the new board in their efforts to address the issues that arose during this tumultuous period of leadership.
