Following a tumultuous five-day power struggle within OpenAI’s board, Sam Altman stages a triumphant return, joining forces once again with co-founder Greg Brockman amidst the unfolding drama.
In a startling turn of events, Altman has made a decisive agreement to reclaim the helm at OpenAI, as revealed in a Wednesday post on X. His unexpected removal as CEO triggered a fierce backlash from employees, casting shadows over the once-pioneering company in the burgeoning artificial intelligence industry.
Unexpected Turn Of Events
i love openai, and everything i’ve done over the past few days has been in service of keeping this team and its mission together. when i decided to join msft on sun evening, it was clear that was the best path for me and the team. with the new board and w satya’s support, i’m…
— Sam Altman (@sama) November 22, 2023
The surprising announcement gave the price of Worldcoin some lift, rising 4.3% today. In addition, Altman founded the Worldcoin project, which attempts to solve Web3’s authentication issue while granting everyone access to the global economy.
Returning to OpenAI & getting back to coding tonight.
— Greg Brockman (@gdb) November 22, 2023
Sam Altman Retakes CEO Post
OpenAI has stated that the company and Altman are working together to finalize the details of his return. In response, Sam Altman expressed his readiness to rejoin OpenAI by retweeting the announcement, accompanied by a ‘heart’ emoji.
“We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam Altman to return to OpenAI as CEO with a new initial board,” the company disclosed, adding that Bret Taylor, a former co-CEO of Salesforce, will chair the board. Other members include former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo.
We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam Altman to return to OpenAI as CEO with a new initial board of Bret Taylor (Chair), Larry Summers, and Adam D’Angelo.
We are collaborating to figure out the details. Thank you so much for your patience through this.
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) November 22, 2023
Insiders with knowledge of the discussions reveal that the primary task of the small, initial board is to scrutinize and appoint an extended board of potentially nine individuals, aiming to overhaul OpenAI’s governance.
Microsoft, a substantial investor committing billions to the company, seeks representation on this expanded board, a sentiment shared by Altman himself. In a recent press tour, CEO Satya Nadella emphasized Microsoft’s desire to avoid any further “surprises.”
We are encouraged by the changes to the OpenAI board. We believe this is a first essential step on a path to more stable, well-informed, and effective governance. Sam, Greg, and I have talked and agreed they have a key role to play along with the OAI leadership team in ensuring… https://t.co/djO6Fuz6t9
— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) November 22, 2023
Nadella expressed his endorsement of Altman and President Greg Brockman’s resolution to rejoin OpenAI, emphasizing its significance in sustaining the growth and advancement of OpenAI and its overarching objectives.
Thrive Capital, a prominent investor in OpenAI, expressed their belief that Altman’s return is highly advantageous for the company, its employees, technology developers, and the global community.
WLDUSDT trading at $2.46 today. Chart: TradingView.com
Still A Win-Win For Sam Altman
At the end of the day, it looks like Altman and Microsoft have come out on top of the controversy. Altman will keep running the company he helped build, but now he has a board that should be more supportive of his vision.
Many in Silicon Valley believe that artificial intelligence will be the most significant technical innovation in the next decades, and Microsoft has taken a stronger hand in the business it spent billions in to support its AI objectives.
Together with Microsoft’s prompt employment offer, the outcry from OpenAI staff confirmed Altman’s leadership position in the AI industry.
Meanwhile, WorldCoin’s temporary increase is a notable boost to both the cryptocurrency market and the technology industry. It remains to be seen how Altman’s return as chief exec will have an impact on the token’s price performance in the coming weeks.
Featured image from Suno News