“The Board of OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, unexpectedly removed CEO Sam Altman on Friday, causing a ripple effect in the tech industry. OpenAI’s Chief Technology Officer, Mira Murati, has been appointed as interim CEO, with a formal search underway for a permanent replacement.
The decision to oust Altman surprised many employees, who learned about the management shakeup through an internal announcement and the company’s public blog. OpenAI cited Altman’s lack of consistent candor with the board as the reason for his departure but did not provide further details.
Greg Brockman, OpenAI’s President and Co-founder, who resigned from the board as part of the restructuring, announced his departure from the company on the messaging platform X, stating, “Based on today’s news, I quit.”
OpenAI, backed by substantial funding from Microsoft, gained prominence with the release of ChatGPT in November, sparking a surge in interest in generative AI technology. Following the launch, regulatory efforts were initiated globally to address the challenges posed by such advanced AI systems.
Altman, known for his role at Y Combinator, expressed appreciation for his time at OpenAI and hinted at future plans. However, he did not provide further details, and requests for comment from Altman and OpenAI were unanswered.
Mira Murati, who previously worked at Tesla, will serve as the interim CEO. She joined OpenAI in 2018 and played a key role in overseeing product launches, including ChatGPT. In an emergency all-hands meeting, Murati reassured employees about OpenAI’s stable partnership with Microsoft, emphasizing continued confidence from Microsoft executives, including CEO Satya Nadella.
Microsoft confirmed its commitment to OpenAI, with a spokesperson stating, “Microsoft remains committed to Mira and their team as we bring this next era of AI to our customers.” CEO Satya Nadella echoed this sentiment in a statement on Microsoft’s website, emphasizing a long-term agreement with OpenAI and a shared commitment to delivering the benefits of AI technology to the world.”
