Topline
Ousted OpenAI founder Sam Altman is in talks with board members of the artificial intelligence startup to potentially return, multiple outlets reported, even after he jumped ship to Microsoft following his sudden firing from the ChatGPT developer last week, a removal that shocked the tech world.
Ousted OpenAI founder Sam Altman could reportedly return.
Key Facts
Altman has been in discussions with Adam D’Angelo, a board member of the San Francisco-based startup, sources told Bloomberg, amid speculation of a potential reunion and as OpenAI investors and the vast majority of its staff push for his reinstatement.
The 38-year-old former CEO of the company could return as a director of a transitional board, one source told Bloomberg, while an internal memo from Vice President of Global Affairs Anna Makanju revealed the company has engaged in “intense discussions” with Altman, the board and the company’s recently appointed CEO Emmet Shear on a unification plan.
The report comes just days after Microsoft announced it hired Altman to join its newly established advanced AI research unit, and as OpenAI’s board tapped former Twitch CEO Emmett Shear to be the company’s interim CEO, sources told Forbes.
Key Background
The ChatGPT maker fired Altman late last week following an internal review, which found Altman had not been “consistently candid with his communications” with the board. In a statement, the company announced Altman’s communications were “hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities.” Microsoft later announced it had hired Altman on a new artificial intelligence team, while more than 700 of OpenAI’s employees—including recently resigned former company president Greg Brockman—threatened to quit unless Altman returned (Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff on Monday offered salaried positions for any OpenAI researcher who resigns from the company).
Tangent
Shares of Microsoft, which has invested billions of dollars in the artificial intelligence startup behind the massively popular generative AI chatbot ChatGPT, hit a record high of $378 on Monday after the tech giant announced it landed Altman and Brockman for its advanced AI research unit. Microsoft, which also has a 49% equity stake in OpenAI, CNBC reported, saw its shares price fall slightly Tuesday, dropping just over 1% on the day to $373.
Further Reading
Not Return As CEO Of OpenAI; Ex-Twitch CEO Picked (Forbes)
Microsoft Stock Hits All-Time High After Hiring Ex-OpenAI’s Sam Altman (Forbes)
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianbushard/2023/11/21/could-altman-return-ousted-openai-founder-reportedly-in-reunion-talks-despite-microsoft-deal/