In a surprising turn of events, OpenAI has named ex-Twitch boss Emmett Shear as its interim CEO, following the abrupt ousting of former chief Sam Altman. This development has cast uncertainty over the future of the startup, a key player in the artificial intelligence boom.
OpenAI Appointments and Employee Backlash
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The appointments were settled late on Sunday, putting an end to speculation about Altman’s potential return. However, by Monday, nearly all of OpenAI’s 700-plus employees threatened to resign in a letter demanding the resignation of the board and the reinstatement of Altman and former President Greg Brockman. The letter, viewed by Reuters, was signed by employees, including OpenAI chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, the individual responsible for Altman’s firing.
Sutskever expressed regret for his role in the board’s actions, stating on social media platform X that he never intended to harm OpenAI and was committed to reuniting the company.
In response to concerns about the company’s stability, Altman and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella reassured employees. Altman, in a post on X, emphasized his commitment to ensuring OpenAI’s continued success, while Nadella, in a CNBC interview, expressed openness to OpenAI staff either staying at the company or joining Microsoft. He highlighted the need for governance changes at OpenAI, regardless of Altman’s future involvement.
Microsoft’s Swift Moves to Retain Talent
Microsoft swiftly moved to retain key talent that left OpenAI, including co-founder Brockman, amid efforts to stabilize the startup in which Microsoft had invested billions of dollars.
The newly appointed interim CEO, Emmett Shear, dismissed speculation about Altman’s ousting over a safety dispute regarding powerful AI models. Shear pledged to investigate the firing, consider new governance structures, and continue OpenAI’s mission of providing accessible technology.
Altman’s dismissal on Friday was attributed to a “breakdown of communications,” according to an internal memo seen by Reuters. OpenAI’s board reportedly approached Anthropic’s CEO as a potential replacement for Altman, even exploring the idea of merging the two AI startups. However, Anthropic’s CEO, Dario Amodei, declined the offer.
The governance structure of OpenAI, a nonprofit organization, came under scrutiny in the employees’ letter, which called for the resignation of the board. The employees also demanded the appointment of two new independent directors, suggesting former Salesforce CEO Bret Taylor and former U.S. representative Will Hurd.
Microsoft assured OpenAI employees in the letter that positions were available at the new subsidiary, should they choose to join. An OpenAI spokesperson referred Reuters to Altman’s comments on the goal of ensuring the startup’s prosperity.
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