SAN FRANCISCO — After his abrupt firing from OpenAI, Sam Altman, will return as chief executive, ending a Silicon Valley boardroom drama over control of the future of artificial intelligence.
OpenAI announced an initial board consisting of Bret Taylor, the former chair of Twitter’s board, Larry Summers, the former U.S. treasury secretary, and Adam D’Angelo, the Quora CEO and one of the board members who voted to oust Altman.
“We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam to return as CEO,” the statement said. “We are collaborating to figure out the details. Thank you so much for your patience through this.”
Altman’s return follows a week of chaos at the AI company. His firing shocked much of the tech industry, including OpenAI’s own investors and employees, who began a campaign to get him back.
Under the latest agreement, Altman will not have a seat on the new board, and the board agreed to an independent investigation that will examine all aspects of recent events, including Altman’s role.
Altman was fired with the board saying only that he had not been candid in his discussions with board members.
The initial board of three will vet and appoint a formal board of up to nine members.
Altman said he loves OpenAI and will be returning to continue the mission.
The drama around Altman’s sudden ouster at OpenAI has exposed the deep rift inside the company over who should control its future.
Altman’s return will be celebrated by investors, customers, and employees who feared the boardroom drama could lead to the company’s implosion, leaving a vacuum in the AI industry.
Microsoft, OpenAI’s biggest investor, also stands to benefit from a stabilized OpenAI and Altman’s return.
At San Francisco’s Mission District, employees were celebrating the return of Altman, said a person familiar with the matter.
