Sam Altman shouldn’t be returning as CEO of OpenAI: Report

Instead, Twitch co-founder Emmett Shear will take over as Interim CEO, it added.

The report quoted co-founder and board director Ilya Sutskever telling staff on November 19 that Altman would not be returning.

Also read: ‘First and last time…’: ‘Fired’ Sam Altman Shows OpenAI ‘Guest ID Card’ Amid Talks of His Return

Many expect to see a mass exodus of employees from the company, with staff expected to join Altman’s eventual new venture.

Expectations for Altman’s return

According to multiple reports over the weekend, Altman is likely to return to the company amid immense pressure on the board to reinstate him. A report by The Verge cited sources suggesting that the board had initially agreed to step down and allow Altman and Brockman to return, but that deal appears to have faltered.

The board missed a crucial deadline of 5pm PT on November 18th and faces another deadline of 5pm today. Should Altman choose to leave and establish a new venture, it is anticipated that these employees will likely follow suit, the Verge report added.

Also read: “Sam and I are shocked by what the board did today,” says former OpenAI president Greg Brockman.

Earlier Bloomberg cited sources as saying there was a possibility that Altman would return to the company. A possible scenario being considered involved OpenAI’s current board members stepping down soon, although no definitive decisions have been reached, multiple sources told the news agency.

According to a Reuters report, Microsoft, which owns a 49 percent stake in OpenAI, is likely to take a role on the board if Altman returns to the company. The company, led by Satya Nadella, could either take a seat on the board or as a non-voting observer.

Meanwhile, several media reports suggest that Microsoft and Satya Nadella were blindsided by OpenAI’s decision to remove Sam Altman as CEO. Satya Nadella reportedly offered Altman his full support in his bid to return to the company and in any of his future endeavors.

Also read: Who is on the OpenAI board that fired Sam Altman? Take a look

Events so far

The company said an internal review highlighted Altman’s lack of consistent transparency in communications with the board of directors. Consequently, the board lost confidence in its ability to lead OpenAI effectively.

After the announcement, Altman expressed gratitude for his time at OpenAI, acknowledging its transformative impact on him and perhaps the world. He hinted at more information about his future plans.

“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 that later,” Altman wrote on X.

Also read: ‘Sam Altman is a hero…’: Eric Schmidt, Brian Chesky, other leaders praise Altman’s contribution to AI

Meanwhile, co-founder and president, Greg Brockman, also announced his departure from the company. Brockman, in a message on X, expressed pride in the achievements made.

“I’m very proud of what we’ve all built together since starting in my apartment 8 years ago. We’ve been through hard times and great times together, achieving so much despite all the reasons it should have been impossible. But based on today’s news, I give up.” he wrote

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Updated: 20 Nov 2023, 11:36 IST