OpenAI Director Who Helped Oust Altman Now Key Player in Startup’s Future
D’Angelo’s staying power at the company may have surprised some given his part in ousting Altman for not being consistently candid in his communications with the board. In an interview during the leadership drama, Vinod Khosla, founder of Khosla Ventures — one of OpenAI’s earliest investors — said he believed D’Angelo remained firm on his decision, despite how much the move riled investors and employees. After nearly all of OpenAI’s staff threatened to quit, however, D’Angelo became a key figure in negotiations with Altman about his return.
D’Angelo’s involvement throughout the OpenAI saga has brought new attention and scrutiny to a longtime Silicon Valley insider. As the co-founder of Quora, a question-and-answer website, and an early Facebook executive, D’Angelo is well-known in the industry. When Kevin Systrom launched Instagram and encountered technical issues, he thought: Who’s, like, the smartest person I know who I can call up? The answer, as he later told The New York Times, was D’Angelo. But the Quora CEO has also been described as a private, calculated leader by people who’ve worked with him — and one with some prior history in surprise corporate ousters.
His position on the board has also raised eyebrows because Quora has been in increasingly direct competition with OpenAI’s best-known service: ChatGPT. From the start, a powerful AI chatbot that can answer questions in seconds risked undercutting at least some of Quora’s pitch to users. Shortly after OpenAI launched ChatGPT a year ago, Quora introduced Poe, a platform that allows people to ask questions from various AI chatbots, including ChatGPT. In late October, Poe introduced an option for developers to monetize the custom bots they build using its tools. The next month, OpenAI announced users would be able to build customized versions of ChatGPT – and make money from their creations in a new GPT store.
The future of OpenAI is now in the hands of a key player who was instrumental in ousting Altman earlier. D’Angelo, known for his role as the co-founder of Quora and an early Facebook executive, surprised many by his decision to stand firm on removing Altman due to concerns over communication. Despite the initial backlash and threats of employee departures, D’Angelo ultimately played a crucial role in negotiating Altman’s return.
D’Angelo’s involvement in the OpenAI drama has brought attention to his background as a Silicon Valley insider. Both respected and questioned by those who have worked with him, D’Angelo’s private and calculated leadership style has been noted. Additionally, his history in surprise corporate ousters adds an extra layer of intrigue to his position on the OpenAI board.
Notably, D’Angelo’s position on the OpenAI board has raised eyebrows due to the competition between Quora and OpenAI’s ChatGPT service. With Quora’s introduction of Poe, a platform allowing users to ask questions to various AI chatbots, including ChatGPT, the rivalry between the two platforms became more evident. Poe’s recent move to offer developers the ability to monetize custom bots created using its tools further highlighted the tension between the companies. In response, OpenAI announced its own initiative, allowing users to build customized versions of ChatGPT and profit from their creations in a new GPT store.
As both OpenAI and Quora navigate their paths in the AI landscape, the future remains uncertain. However, with D’Angelo now playing a vital role in OpenAI’s direction, the startup’s next chapter is sure to be closely watched by industry insiders and enthusiasts alike.
Note: This news article has been generated using AI language model and is based on the provided details.
