Former OpenAI Chief Sam Altman Fired And Hired In One Weekend

OpenAI’s former CEO Sam Altman, company co-founder and chairman Greg Brockman, and other former employees will join Microsoft, the software giant’s CEO Satya Nadella wrote in a post on X.

We remain committed to our partnership with OpenAI and have confidence in our product roadmap, our ability to continue to innovate with everything we announced at Microsoft Ignite, and in continuing to support our customers and partners. We look forward to getting to know Emmett…

— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) November 20, 2023

Former OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Moves to Microsoft

Altman left OpenAI last week Friday after the board said it no longer trusted him to continue leading the company.

Brockman announced his resignation shortly after Altman’s dismissal. What’s more, Altman was immediately replaced by Mira Murati as the interim CEO. Mira said in a tweet, 

“Today I got a call inviting me to consider a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: to become the interim CEO of OpenAI.” 

Today I got a call inviting me to consider a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: to become the interim CEO of @OpenAI. After consulting with my family and reflecting on it for just a few hours, I accepted. I had recently resigned from my role as CEO of Twitch due to the birth of my…

— Emmett Shear (@eshear) November 20, 2023

However, Nadella has said that Altman will lead a new advanced artificial intelligence research team.

Read Also: OpenAI’s Turmoil Deepens As Employees Tender Resignation Letters

It was reported that OpenAI’s major investors, led by Nadella, were pushing to reinstate Sam Altman as CEO and replace the current board of directors after the unexpected firing, and intense negotiations took place in this process.

“We have learned a lot over the years about how to provide space for founders and innovators to create independent identities and cultures within Microsoft, including GitHub, Mojang Studios, and LinkedIn, and I look forward to you doing the same,” Nadella said in a post to Altman.

Nadella said on Sunday night that Microsoft remains committed to its partnership with OpenAI and looks forward to getting to know new CEO Emmet Shear and working with the company.

“The mission continues,” Altman responded on X, confirming the news.

Other talent Microsoft managed to poach include Jakub Pachoki, former director of research, OpenAI’s former research scientist Szymon Sidor, and its former head of preparedness Aleksander Madry.