Sam Altman to Return as OpenAI CEO, Days After Board's Decision for Removal

[AleksandarK]

Over the past few days, the OpenAI drama has continued to give more details about the relationship between OpenAI's board, employees, and even the executive layer of the company. As we have covered previously, the OpenAI board on last Friday, November 17, fired the company's CEO, Sam Altman. Over the weekend, Mr. Altman was approached by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and offered to lead the AI unit within the Redmond giant; however, the employment was not yet finalized. Today, we learned that Sam Altman has reached an agreement with the board to return to OpenAI along with Greg Brockman and many other OpenAI employees.

After starting a wave of posts on the X/Twitter platform saying, "OpenAI is nothing without its people," the employees of OpenAI signed a letter requesting the board to bring back Sam Altman. With the deal now happening, employees are expected to continue working for OpenAI under Sam Altman's leadership. The new initial board of OpenAI is composed of Bret Taylor (Chair), Larry Summers, and Adam D'Angelo. Sam Altman said in a post on X: "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 looking forward to returning to openai, and building on our strong partnership with msft." While Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella added "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 OAI continues to thrive and build on its mission. We look forward to building on our strong partnership and delivering the value of this next generation of AI to our customers and partners."



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[ffolekram]

Any news regarding Ilya?

 

[crazyotterhound]

When Altman returns, perhaps he might consider using their own product to correct his grammar? His insistence on all lowercase prose is baffling.

 

[Vayra86]

When Altman returns, perhaps he might consider using their own product to correct his grammar? His insistence on all lowercase prose is baffling.

Its a fashion statement, like every other comma and hashtag on social media.

'Look, I do this differently, its actually wrong, but I can brand myself like that'

I know, where is my puke bucket material.

 

[Space Lynx]

lmao. what a joke

 

[ecomorph]

oof, what a shitshow

 

[Vayra86]

Any news regarding Ilya?

She is very sorry about doing what she did and was among the joiners with Sam's exodus.

The spin at work here is so complex, we'll never figure it out I reckon.

All it truly confirms is one thing; regulate the shit out of these ratholes.
They influence society far too much to go unregulated as they are. We missed the boat with social media, let's not repeat that. We regulate banks as they are critical infrastructure, but the social discourse is far more critical. We need some form of checks and balances here, I don't even know exactly what or how, but it being complicated doesn't mean its not necessary.

 

[Space Lynx]

All it truly confirms is one thing; regulate the shit out of these ratholes.
They influence society far too much to go unregulated as they are. We missed the boat with social media, let's not repeat that.

100% agree

 

[Eternit]

She is very sorry about doing what she did and was among the joiners with Sam's exodus.

The spin at work here is so complex, we'll never figure it out I reckon.

All it truly confirms is one thing; regulate the shit out of these ratholes.
They influence society far too much to go unregulated as they are. We missed the boat with social media, let's not repeat that. We regulate banks as they are critical infrastructure, but the social discourse is far more critical. We need some form of checks and balances here, I don't even know exactly what or how, but it being complicated doesn't mean it’s not necessary.

Unfortunately it is already too late. And with the new board OpenAI is de facto Microsoft subsidiary.

 

[Vayra86]

Unfortunately it is already too late. And with the new board OpenAI is de facto Microsoft subsidiary.

Its never too late to start regulating. It just gets harder because people have gotten used to freedoms they should've never had.

 

[Denver]

A good lesson for the board of directors who don't know how to play this game

 

[Selaya]

She is very sorry about doing what she did and was among the joiners with Sam's exodus.

The spin at work here is so complex, we'll never figure it out I reckon.

All it truly confirms is one thing; regulate the shit out of these ratholes.
They influence society far too much to go unregulated as they are. We missed the boat with social media, let's not repeat that. We regulate banks as they are critical infrastructure, but the social discourse is far more critical. We need some form of checks and balances here, I don't even know exactly what or how, but it being complicated doesn't mean its not necessary.

while i would fundamentally agree to this i have no hopes that government regulation wouldn't make this shitshow even far worse. brave new world indeed.

 

[kondamin]

Shame, it would have been nice if open ai crumbled and acted as an example not to mess with a winning team.

 

[theouto]

Shame, it would have been nice if open ai crumbled and acted as an example not to mess with a winning team.

Considering the shitshow that ensued, that was so strong they had to bring him back, I'm quite sure it still serves as a good example. If not, we always have Lyon as an example.

 

[jsfitz54]

I'm seeing ads on TV saying how AI can help you shop better. Not seeing much humanitarian benefits outside of how much money can we make with this technology. So yes, we need good governance and an opt-out feature. If this is as great as they claim no one should loose on the stock market, everyone will become a winner.

 

[TumbleGeorge]

I'm seeing ads on TV saying how AI can help you shop better

With voice. But, but... windows 12+gpt-5? Clever?

 

[Eternit]

Shame, it would have been nice if open ai crumbled and acted as an example not to mess with a winning team.

The problem is, OpenAI was created as a non profit company developing AI for the good of humanity, but the “wining team” changed it to for profit company not only focusing on Microsoft interest, but also wiling to sell their product to be used by regimes to control their oppressed populations.

 

[[h+]³]

Shame, it would have been nice if open ai crumbled and acted as an example not to mess with a winning team.

There are no winners without losers however.

 

[b1k3rdude]

Is anyone else bored of this s**t and his unaesthetic monotone mug in the news cycle?

 

[Dragokar]

Is anyone else bored of this s**t and his unaesthetic monotone mug in the news cycle?

Feel free to apply as a newswriter.

Ontopic:

Well this is really a shitshow and only shows how done this whole industry is.......also come on, just say the truth that it is all about the money and no ethics yadda....

 

[john_]

I guess this was the last ingredient necessary for a movie.

 

[SOAREVERSOR]

The problem is, OpenAI was created as a non profit company developing AI for the good of humanity, but the “wining team” changed it to for profit company not only focusing on Microsoft interest, but also wiling to sell their product to be used by regimes to control their oppressed populations.

OpenAI was never good though. One of the main backers of it was Peter Theil who was already selling control software to regimes for control and snooping prior to the creation of AI. Elon Musk is equally all about controlling people and backed it. OpenAI's "nice" phase was never anything more than a cover used by Libertarian tech billionaires to con suckers yet again to trust them and get AI into the mainstream.

If you bought that anything Theil, Musk, or any Libertarian ever said about "actually, it's for the public good" than you are a sucker. I'd rather have AI under google, Microsoft, Amazon, or apple than some shady group of Theil's and Musk's. As bad as those four tech companies are they at least in some way answer to their consumers and don't have CEO's babbling about how democracy needs to end and we need to create digital human beings while plotting crackpot trips to Mars and schemes to make the super rich immortal.

We don't know how this will end. The US military (Navy) developed the first computers back in WW2 and the military created the internet as well. Those turned out just fine.

 

[cvaldes]

She is very sorry about doing what she did and was among the joiners with Sam's exodus.

The spin at work here is so complex, we'll never figure it out I reckon.

I'm pretty sure Ilya identifies as male.

It makes one wonder how carefully TPU readers have been following this drama. Admittedly the media has done a piss poor job covering this circus.

It is almost as if this whole episode was written by AI.

 

[Haile Selassie]

Unfortunately it is already too late. And with the new board OpenAI is de facto Microsoft subsidiary.

De facto, but not de jure.

 

[Gooigi's Ex]

aaaaaaaaaaah yes…i can’t wait for the movie about this to come out. the shit show that was endured definitely was a read and would need a visual. i wonder who would play as sam.