In a surprising turn of events, Sam Altman has been reinstated as the CEO of OpenAI just days after his abrupt dismissal sent shockwaves through the industry.
Altman was unexpectedly ousted from his position on Friday, November 17, leaving OpenAI’s workforce and investors puzzled.
The move triggered a strong response, with almost the entire 750-strong workforce threatening to resign unless Altman was reinstated as chief executive.
A new agreement has been reached between Altman and OpenAI, paving the way for his return as CEO. A statement from OpenAI, posted on X (formerly Twitter), read: “We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam Altman to return to OpenAI as CEO with a new initial board of Bret Taylor (Chair), Larry Summers, and Adam D’Angelo. We are collaborating to figure out the details. Thank you so much for your patience through this.”
Altman also shared his thoughts on the development on X, stating, “I love OpenAI, and everything I’ve done over the past few days has been in service of keeping this team and its mission together. I’m looking forward to returning to OpenAI.”
The removal of Altman last week led to the resignation of the company’s co-founder Greg Brockman, causing significant disruption at OpenAI, known for developing the popular ChatGPT platform.
Microsoft, a major investor in OpenAI, played a pivotal role in advocating for Altman’s reinstatement.
Microsoft not only urged OpenAI to reverse its decision but also indicated that if Altman were not permanently fired, he would be welcomed at Microsoft.
Additionally, Microsoft expressed interest in forming a “new advanced AI research team” that would include Altman and most of the 750 threatened resignations from OpenAI’s staff.
