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20.11.2023 - 22:11 / tech.hindustantimes.com / Sam Altman / Mira Murati / Emmett Shear / Greg Brockman / Ilya Sutskever
Hundreds of staff at OpenAI threatened to quit the leading artificial intelligence company on Monday and join Microsoft. They would follow OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman, who said he was starting an AI subsidiary at Microsoft following his shock sacking from the company whose ChatGPT chatbot has led the rapid rise of artificial intelligence technology.
In a letter, some of OpenAI's most senior staff members threatened to leave the company if the board did not get replaced.
"Your actions have made it obvious that you are incapable of overseeing OpenAI," said the letter, which was first released to Wired.
Included in the list of names of signers was Ilya Sutskever, the company's chief scientist and one of members of the four-person board that voted to oust Altman.
It also included top executive Mira Murati, who was appointed to replace Altman as CEO when he was removed on Friday, but was herself demoted over the weekend.
"Microsoft has assured us that there are positions for all OpenAI employees at this new subsidiary should we choose to join," the letter said.
Reports said as many as 500 of OpenAI's 770 employees signed the letter.
OpenAI has appointed Emmett Shear, a former chief executive of Amazon's streaming platform Twitch, as its new CEO despite pressure from Microsoft and other major investors to reinstate Altman.
The startup's board sacked Altman on Friday, with US media citing concerns that he was underestimating the dangers of its tech and leading the company away from its stated mission -- claims his successor has denied.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella wrote on X that Altman "will be joining Microsoft to lead a new advanced AI research team," along with OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman and other colleagues.
Altman shot to fame with the launch of ChatGPT last year, which ignited a race to advance AI research and development, as well as billions being invested in the sector.
His sacking triggered several other high-profile departures from the company, as well as a reported push by investors to bring him back.
"We are going to build something new & it will be incredible. The mission continues," Brockman said, tagging former director of research Jakub Pachocki, AI risk evaluation head Aleksander Madry, and longtime researcher Szymon Sidor.
But OpenAI stood by its decision in a memo sent to employees on Sunday night, saying "Sam's behavior and lack of transparency... undermined the board's ability to effectively supervise the company," The New York Times reported.
Shear confirmed his appointment as OpenAI's interim CEO in a post on X on Monday, while also denying reports that Altman had been fired over safety concerns regarding the use of AI technology.
"Today I got a call inviting me to consider a once-in-a-lifetime
This is not investment advice. The author has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Wccftech.com has a disclosure and ethics policy.
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become the buzzword of 2023, with the world's biggest companies launching their suite of AI services not just for consumers, but for businesses as well. While AI technology has been growing for some time, it is safe to say that this revolution really kicked off when OpenAI launched its AI chatbot ChatGPT in November 2022. Since then, rapid advancements have taken place in the field, with companies like Microsoft and Google releasing their AI services. AI for business has also become highly sought after, with companies leveraging the new tech to grow their business and offer more services to consumers. However, OpenAI Chief Operating Officer Brad Lightcap thinks this technology is overhyped. He also revealed some details about the shock resignation and the eventual return of CEO Sam Altman.
Larry Summers, a new board member at artificial intelligence startup OpenAI, said that the startup's work was “extraordinarily important” and that the company needed to operate as a “corporation with a conscience.” OpenAI “has to be prepared to cooperate with key government officials on regulatory issues, on national security issues, on development of technology issues,” Summers said on Bloomberg Television's Wall Street Week with David Westin on Friday.
In a recent turn of events, Sam Altman, co-founder of OpenAI, has reclaimed his position as the CEO of OpenAI after a tumultuous episode involving his shocking initial dismissal and subsequent reinstatement. The lingering question that has stayed in many people's minds is the reason behind this unexpected sequence of events. During an interview with The Verge, Altman addressed this query and more. While refraining from disclosing the initial cause of his dismissal, he expressed his joy at rejoining the company. Altman emphasised that the matter is still under investigation, urging that such questions should be directed to the OpenAI board rather than himself.
OpenAI has been through a lot of dramatic changes over these past few weeks with the board members firing the company CEO Sam Altman. While the feud did not last long and Altman eventually made his way back as OpenAI CEO, the company has made significant changes in their board with three new members and Microsoft is also getting a seat on the board, however, as a silent member. Check Microsoft's role in the OpenAI board and how it will function to ensure the company's success.
Unlike Google, Facebook and other tech giants, the company behind ChatGPT was not created to be a business. It was set up as a nonprofit by founders who hoped that it wouldn't be beholden to commercial interests.
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The OpenAI saga appears to be coming to a conclusion with one final twist, as OpenAI has just announced that Sam Altman will be returning to the company as the CEO. Alongside, he will also get a new board to work with. This means that he will not be joining Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella to lead his AI research team, as announced by him earlier. The move comes after reports of mass resignation came from within the company with as many as 500 employees demanding Altman be reinstated. This would also mean that the tenure of interim CEO Emmett Shear comes to an end. It is not clear whether Greg Brockman will join the CEO to return to OpenAI.
Sam Altman and members of the OpenAI board have opened negotiations aimed at a possible return of the ousted co-founder and chief executive officer to the artificial intelligence company, according to people with knowledge of the matter.
This is not investment advice. The author has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. Wccftech.com has a disclosure and ethics policy.
Following a surprise ouster, OpenAI co-founder and former CEO Sam Altman joined Microsoft as the head of artificial intelligence research along with the ChatGPT maker's former President Greg Brockman and other staff. The developments come less than a year after OpenAI kicked off the generative AI frenzy with the launch of viral chatbot ChatGPT and bagged Microsoft as an investor, among other big names.
Following the removal of Sam Altman as the OpenAI CEO, the path to pick the right candidate to fill the position was not easy for the board members and they looked to be in an unseemly rush. Soon after the firing, Mira Murati joined as the interim CEO, however, after the news of Altman joining Microsoft was announced, the employees, including Murati, wanted to reinstate Sam Altman and they threatened mass resignations from the company. But to everyone's shock, he refused to come back unless the OpenAI board of directors were sacked.