Microsoft, one of OpenAI’s major investors, is urging the OpenAI board to reinstate Sam Altman as CEO after his unexpected dismissal on Friday. This move has caused an uproar among investors and the AI community. Altman, who played a pivotal role in transforming OpenAI from a nonprofit organization into a successful commercial entity, received an outpouring of support following the news of his departure.
Thrive Capital and Tiger Global Management, along with Microsoft, are leading the efforts to reinstate Altman. Thrive Capital had planned to lead a tender offer for employee shares but has put it on hold due to Altman’s removal. The second-largest investor in OpenAI, Thrive Capital is working to bring back Altman and president Greg Brockman, who resigned in protest.
Venture capitalist Vinod Khosla expressed his support for Altman, calling him a once in a generation CEO and stating that Khosla Ventures wants him back at OpenAI. Bloomberg reports that investors are also seeking to replace the current board of directors.
The board’s decision to dismiss Altman and Brockman came as a surprise to both men and Microsoft. Altman was informed of his termination during a Google Meet call with the board, led by Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI’s chief scientist, co-founder, and board member. It is reported that Sutskever and Altman had disagreements over various issues, including the pace of developing generative AI.
OpenAI announced the leadership change shortly after Altman’s departure, appointing Mira Murati, the chief technology officer, as interim CEO. The board cited Altman’s lack of consistent communication with the board as the reason for his dismissal.
In response to the OpenAI board’s decision, Altman took to social media to express his gratitude for the support he received. The AI community and investors are closely monitoring the situation, and there is a growing demand for Altman’s reinstatement as CEO.
The dismissal of Sam Altman and the subsequent resignation of Greg Brockman have created a wave of controversy and investor pushback against OpenAI’s board. As the situation unfolds, stakeholders are calling for transparency and a resolution that ensures the future success of OpenAI. The board is under pressure to address these concerns and maintain the organization’s trajectory as a pioneer in artificial intelligence research and development.
