A group of OpenAI executives and investors are pushing to bring back Sam Altman, the former CEO who was fired on November 17. The negotiations have hit a roadblock over disagreements about the board’s composition and role. Altman is reportedly open to returning, but he wants changes in governance, including the removal of existing board members. He is also seeking a statement clearing him of any wrongdoing, according to a report by Bloomberg.
Key leaders within OpenAI, including Interim CEO Mira Murati, Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon, and Chief Operating Officer Brad Lightcap, are reportedly advocating for the board’s resignation and Altman’s reinstatement. The campaign to bring Altman back started soon after his dismissal. The board accused Altman of not being consistently candid in his communications with them.
Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, the former chairman of OpenAI were invited to the company's San Francisco office in order to discuss the way forward. Altman shared a picture of himself wearing an OpenAI 'Guest' badge and captioned it saying "first and last time i ever wear one of these." Greg Brockman was appointed president before he resigned in protest of Altman’s dismissal. A deadline of 5 p.m. San Francisco time has been set for the board to agree to Altman’s demands. However, this could potentially leave the board members legally vulnerable.
Possible reasons behind OpenAI coup
A major point of contention within the company has been Altman’s ambition to transform OpenAI, originally a nonprofit, into a successful business. Reportedly, this clashed with the board’s concerns over the safety of AI tools capable of generating text, images, and even computer code with minimal prompting.
Altman’s position is strengthened by the loyalty of several employees, including top research scientists who contribute significantly to OpenAI’s intellectual property and the development of its groundbreaking ChatGPT chatbot. Microsoft Corp. CEO Satya Nadella, whose company is OpenAI’s biggest investor with $13 billion invested, is playing a central role in the negotiations.
OpenAI board members
According to OpenAI’s official website, the board of directors that ousted Altman comprises of Chief Scientist, Ilya Sutskever, and Adam D’Angelo, the CEO of Quora, who serves as an independent director. Additionally, technology entrepreneur Tasha McCauley and Helen Toner from the Georgetown Centre for Security and Emerging Technology are also on the board. OpenAI Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever was the one who informed Brockman about the termination of Altman and the change in circumstances.