OpenAI, the renowned artificial intelligence research laboratory, has announced a delay in the return of its CEO, Sam Altman. In the meantime, the company has named Emmett Shear, the co-founder of Twitch, as its interim leader.
According to recent reports, Altman will not be coming back as the CEO of OpenAI, despite the efforts of the company’s employees. The news was broken to Altman by Ilya Sutskever, the chief scientist of OpenAI, who informed the staff that Altman’s return was not possible after several negotiations over the weekend.
Emmett Shear, the co-founder of Twitch, will now serve as the interim CEO, taking over from Mira Murati, who was appointed to the role after Altman’s departure. Sutskever emphasized that the three other board members who removed Altman are standing by their decision, viewing it as the only path to safeguard the company’s vision. They believe Altman’s conduct and interactions with the board compromised their ability to oversee the development of AGI (artificial general intelligence) and turn it into a profit-driven company.
This resolution exacerbates the crisis sparked by Altman’s sudden removal from the board and the subsequent expulsion of President Greg Brockman. Brockman resigned later that day, followed by three senior researchers, potentially leading to a broader exodus to competing organizations like Google. Meanwhile, Altman seems to be heading towards a new venture following his dismissal.
Last Friday, OpenAI stated that Altman was removed from his position following a thorough review process by the board. The board concluded that Altman’s lack of consistent candor in his communications hindered their ability to fulfill their responsibilities. The board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI, read the official blog post.
Interestingly, Altman himself already foresaw the possibility of being fired by the board. In an interview earlier this year, he expressed his belief that the board should have the power to fire him, stating that over time, it needs to be democratized to include the entire human population.
Altman’s response came when a Bloomberg journalist questioned his immense power and asked why he should be trusted. Altman candidly replied that people should not trust him and emphasized the importance of asking questions and not placing blind trust in any one company or individual.
Altman firmly believes that the governance of technology should belong to humanity as a whole, rather than being concentrated in the hands of one person or company. He emphasized the need to spread the responsibility and not rely on a single entity.
In conclusion, OpenAI has appointed Emmett Shear, the co-founder of Twitch, as its interim CEO while Sam Altman’s return remains delayed. Altman’s removal from the board, along with the resignation of President Greg Brockman and the departure of three senior researchers, has caused a crisis within the company. Altman himself had acknowledged the possibility of being fired, emphasizing that technology governance should be more inclusive and not concentrated in the hands of a few.
