In a surprising turn of events, OpenAI announced that its co-founder, Sam Altman, would be returning as CEO after being fired by the board of directors and briefly joining Microsoft. The decision came after an agreement in principle was reached for Altman to resume his role as CEO with a new board structure that includes Bret Taylor as chair, Larry Summers, and Adam D'Angelo. The reshuffling of the board also involved the departure of three directors who were part of the decision to oust Altman, causing internal conflict and external pressure from investors.
The former OpenAI president, Greg Brockman, who had left the company along with Altman, is also set to return. Although neither Altman nor Brockman will serve on the new board, the changes are expected to enhance OpenAI's governance, according to analyst Dan Ives of Wedbush Securities. The involvement of Microsoft, a major investor in OpenAI with rights to its technology, played a significant role in Altman's return, as the software giant quickly moved to hire Altman and Brockman after their departure from OpenAI.
Altman expressed his love for OpenAI and its mission, stating that his recent actions were aimed at keeping the team together. The decision for Altman to join Microsoft was initially considered the best path, but with the backing of the new board at OpenAI and support from Microsoft's CEO Satya Nadella, Altman looks forward to returning to the company he helped establish. The tensions leading to Altman's dismissal reportedly stemmed from communication issues and differences in priorities, with allegations of him not being consistently candid with the board and pursuing more advanced products, causing strain within the organization.