OpenAI fires CEO Sam Altman: Uncanny similarities between his removal and Steve Jobs’ ouster from Apple in 1985

Sam Altman, the founder of OpenAI, was recently fired from his position as CEO after a review found that he was ‘not consistently candid in his communications’ with the board of directors. This news comes as a shock to many, as Altman was instrumental in the creation of ChatGPT, an AI language model that triggered an AI race. The sudden nature of the announcement and the strong statement coming out from the tech company have pushed many to draw parallels between what happened in the present and what happened with Apple and Steve Jobs almost four decades ago.

Steve Jobs, the co-founder of Apple, was famously ousted from the company in 1985 after a power struggle with the board of directors. Jobs had revolutionised personal computing and created an iconic brand, only to be forced out of the company he had built into a billion-dollar colossus. 

Initial speculations had suggested that Jobs’ ousting was due to his confrontational management style and his inability to work well with others. William Simon, co-author of "iCon: Steve Jobs, the Greatest Second Act in the History of Business" claimed that jobs “demanded so much from the people who worked for him. That was part of his greatness...But he drove people too hard.” 

Jobs himself later admitted that he was “out of control” at the time. After leaving Apple, Jobs founded NeXT Computer, which was eventually acquired by Apple, and returned to the company as CEO in 1997. Jobs’ second stint at Apple saw him lead the company to new heights, creating the greatest corporate success of our time.

In contrast, Altman’s firing was due to his lack of transparency with the board of directors. The specific reasons and causes of the ouster are shrouded in secrecy as of now but in both cases, the board of directors opted to separate the company from the respective CEOs. It remains to be seen what the future holds for Sam Altman, but if Steve Jobs’ story is any indication, being fired from a company like OpenAI could only lead to even greater success for Altman.

What happens with OpenAI

The same board of directors at OpenAI has selected Mira Murati as the interim CEO of the company. The 34-year-old Murati has been with OpenAI since 2018 after a stint at Tesla where she was instrumental in the development of the Tesla Model X. OpenAI promoted Murati to the position of Chief Technology Officer (CTO) last year.  

Also read: Who is Mira Murati, the new interim CEO of OpenAI after Sam Altman's exit?

Also read: 'Lost confidence in his ability': ChatGPT-maker OpenAI fires CEO Sam Altman