After months of chaos in the world of technology, Sam Altman will reportedly join Microsoft, ultimately ending rumors that he would return to OpenAI just 48 hours after his departure.
Taking to X (formerly known as Twitter), Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella wrote: “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 Shear and OAI’s new leadership team and working with them.”
Sam Altman will reportedly join Microsoft after being sacked by OpenAI, sparking chaos among former colleagues
Image credits: Cambridge Union
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
“And we’re extremely excited to share the news that Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, together with colleagues, will be joining Microsoft to lead a new advanced AI research team.
“We look forward to moving quickly to provide them with the resources needed for their success.”
In the meantime, ex-Twitch CEO Emmett Shear has been appointed as OpenAI’s new interim boss.
Taking to his X page, Emmet wrote: “Today, I got a call inviting me to consider a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity: to become the interim CEO of OpenAI.
Greg Brockman, the former OpenAI president, quit after hearing about Sam’s firing
Image credits: UofNorthDakota
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
“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 now 9-month-old son.
“Spending time with him has been every bit as rewarding as I thought it would be, and I was happily avoiding full-time employment.
“I took this job because I believe that OpenAI is one of the most important companies currently in existence.
“When the board shared the situation and asked me to take the role, I did not make the decision lightly.
“Ultimately, I felt that I had a duty to help if I could.”
Ilya Sutskever, one of the board members involved in ousting Sam, said he “deeply regretted” his decision
Image credits: OpenAI
I deeply regret my participation in the board’s actions. I never intended to harm OpenAI. I love everything we’ve built together and I will do everything I can to reunite the company.
— Ilya Sutskever (@ilyasut) November 20, 2023
The entrepreneur admitted that he thought the way Sam had been sacked “had been handled very badly”.
Emmett further outlined a three-point plan for the next month, which included hiring an independent investigator to dig into the entire process “leading up to this point and generate a full report”.
He added: “I have nothing but respect for what Sam and the entire OpenAI team have built.
“It’s not just an incredible research project and software product, but an incredible company.
“I’m here because I know that, and I want to do everything in my power to protect it and grow it further.”
Mira Murati, who had been named the company’s interim CEO, took to X to voice her opinions about the recent events
Image credits: a16z
OpenAI is nothing without its people
— Mira Murati (@miramurati) November 20, 2023
Opposingly, one of the board members involved in firing Sam, Ilya Sutskever, said on X that he had made a mistake, as per the BBC.
He wrote: “Now I deeply regret my participation in the board’s actions.
“I never intended to harm OpenAI.
“I love everything we’ve built together and I will do everything I can to reunite the company.”
Sam contributed to the launch of OpenAI – best known for its popular ChatGPT bot – as well as becoming one of the most influential people in the artificial intelligence (AI) field.
“We remain committed to our partnership with OpenAI,” Microsoft chief executive Satya said
Image credits: satyanadella
News of the 38-year-old being sacked last Friday (November 17), rocked the AI industry, sparking a series of turbulent events, including former Google chief executive Eric Schmidt who called Sam “a hero of mine”.
According to Wired, OpenAI was in open revolt on Monday (November 20), with 490 employees threatening to leave unless the board resigns and reinstates Sam Altman as CEO, along with cofounder and former president Greg Brockman.
It was a reportedly head-spinning weekend in Silicon Valley as Sam was fired as “he was not consistently candid in his communications with the board, hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities,” OpenAI wrote in a statement.
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
However, one Wall Street research firm reportedly said it believes that tensions arose over Sam’s push to develop more advanced products.
Many staff members have been left frustrated about the lack of communication over sacking Sam, resulting in an open letter that read: “Microsoft has assured us that there are positions for all OpenAI employees at this new subsidiary should we choose to join.”
In response to Microsoft boss Satya announcing his new position, Sam wrote: “The mission continues.”