Microsoft To Take Non-voting, Observer Position on OpenAI’s Board – Sam Altman
Microsoft has been announced as taking a non-voting, observer position on OpenAI’s board, according to CEO Sam Altman. In his first official communication since reclaiming the reins of the company, Altman revealed that Microsoft’s representative will have the ability to attend board meetings and access confidential information. However, they will not have the power to vote on important matters, such as electing or selecting directors. This decision comes after Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella expressed the need for governance changes within the ChatGPT maker.
Altman was ousted from OpenAI on November 17 without a specific cause, causing concerns among investors and employees. However, he was reintroduced as CEO just four days later, promising a fresh board. The newly constituted OpenAI board includes Bret Taylor, former co-CEO of Salesforce, as chair, as well as Larry Summers, former U.S. Treasury Secretary. Adam D’Angelo, CEO of Quora and a member of the previous board that dismissed Altman, will also continue in the new board.
Currently, the revamped board is actively searching for six additional members with expertise in fields ranging from technology to safety and policy. It is unlikely that OpenAI investors will secure seats on the non-profit board, according to sources. Microsoft, who has already invested over $10 billion into OpenAI, owns 49% of the company but has yet to comment on the recent developments.
Mira Murati, the former chief technology officer of OpenAI who briefly served as interim CEO following Altman’s departure, has once again assumed the role of CTO. Meanwhile, Greg Brockman, Altman’s co-founder who left the company with him, will return as president, marking a partnership in running the company.
OpenAI’s chief scientist, Ilya Sutskever, will no longer be part of the board. Sutskever had initially participated in the effort to remove Altman but later expressed regret and signed an employee letter advocating for his return. Altman holds no ill will towards Sutskever and is currently discussing potential ways for him to continue his work at OpenAI.
The article concludes by highlighting the previous members of OpenAI’s board, which included Tasha McCauley, an entrepreneur, and Helen Toner, director of strategy at Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology.
With Microsoft taking a non-voting, observer role on OpenAI’s board, the company aims to navigate the path towards improved governance and a promising future in the field of artificial intelligence.
