AI startup says Altman was ‘not consistently candid in his communications with the board’.
Sam Altman, the CEO of ChatGPT and GPT-4, two artificial intelligence-powered chatbots, has been ousted by his company’s board of directors, causing a major shakeup in the tech industry.
OpenAI, which is backed by Microsoft, announced the leadership transition after the board lost confidence in Altman’s ability to lead the company, stating that he was “not consistently candid” in his communications with the board, hindering its responsibilities.
While Altman’s departure was not explicitly explained, the company’s board deemed new leadership necessary as the company moves forward. Mira Murati, OpenAI’s Chief Technology Officer, has been appointed interim CEO.
After representing the company at a panel discussion earlier in the week, Altman expressed his gratitude for working with talented people and leading the company, calling it transformative for him personally.
i loved my time at openai. it was transformative for me personally, and hopefully the world a little bit. most of all i loved working with such talented people.
will have more to say about what’s next later.
🫡
— Sam Altman (@sama)
November 17, 2023
Altman later described his firing as a “weird experience” and “sorta like reading your own eulogy while you’re still alive,” suggesting that OpenAI should pursue him for the full value of his shares if he started going off.
Unlike other tech founders, Altman did not have equity in OpenAI and could be fired at any time.
His unexpected departure triggered varied reactions across the tech sector. Former Google CEO Eric Schimdt dubbed Altman a “hero” and praised his impact on the world, while OpenAI president Greg Brockman, co-founder of the startup with Altman and Elon Musk, announced his resignation following the news.
After learning today’s news, this is the message I sent to the OpenAI team:
https://t.co/NMnG16yFmm
pic.twitter.com/8x39P0ejOM— Greg Brockman (@gdb)
November 18, 2023
Additionally, in September, New York Magazine likened Altman to J Robert Oppenheimer, known as the father of the atomic bomb, while Time Magazine named him one of the 100 most influential people in AI in 2023.
