(Reuters) -Following a surprise ouster, OpenAI co-founder and former CEO Sam Altman joined Microsoft as the head of artificial intelligence research along with the ChatGPT maker’s former President Greg Brockman and other staff.
The developments come less than a year after OpenAI kicked off the generative AI frenzy with the launch of viral chatbot ChatGPT and bagged Microsoft as an investor, among other big names.
Nearly all of OpenAI staff have threatened to quit unless the board resigns and appoints two new lead independent directors apart from reinstating Altman and Brockman, according to a letter seen by Reuters.
Date Event
Nov. 17 OpenAI board fires CEO, co-founder Sam Altman
and President Greg Brockman quits after being
removed from the board. Company names Mira
Murati as interim CEO
Nov. 18 Altman’s firing was over a “breakdown in
communication between Sam and the board,” and
not “malfeasance”, COO Brad Lightcap says in
an internal memo
Nov. 18 Early investor Khosla Ventures says it wants
Altman back at OpenAI, “but will back him in
whatever he does next”
Nov. 18 Some employees contemplated quitting if Altman
was not restored as CEO by the end of the
weekend, while others expressed support for
joining his new venture, people familiar with
the matter said
Nov. 19 Altman discusses a possible return to the
company, considers launching new AI startup,
source tells Reuters
Nov. 20 Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella says the Windows
maker has hired Altman, Brockman and their
colleagues to lead a new advanced AI research
team
Nov. 20 OpenAI appoints former Twitch boss Emmett
Shear as interim CEO. Shear pledges probe into
Altman’s exit. OpenAI board approaches rival
Anthropic’s CEO on merger, for taking top job,
sources say
Nov. 20 Nearly all OpenAI staff threaten to quit and
join Altman at Microsoft if board doesn’t
resign, according to a letter seen by Reuters
Nov. 20 Some investors in OpenAI explore legal
recourse against the company’s board, sources
familiar with the matter told Reuters
(Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)
