- After Sam Altman’s unexpected resignation, Microsoft’s Chief Technology Officer, Kevin Scott, has committed to matching the salaries of OpenAI employees who are contemplating leaving the company.
- Microsoft’s CEO, Satya Nadella, revealed that Altman, along with Greg Brockman and their team, will be joining Microsoft to establish a new AI research unit.
- The future direction of OpenAI remains uncertain, with the possibility of Altman returning to the company not being entirely ruled out.
At the Microsoft Build event in Seattle on May 23, 2023, Greg Brockman, the president and co-founder of OpenAI, and Kevin Scott, the chief technology officer, made a virtual appearance.
On Tuesday, Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott utilized X (formerly known as Twitter) to address the concerns of OpenAI employees, reassuring them that their compensation at Microsoft would be matched with their current pay levels if they opt to join Sam Altman at Microsoft’s new AI Research Lab.
The details of Altman’s role at Microsoft remain undisclosed, with Scott choosing not to provide further elaboration in response to CNBC’s inquiries on X. Nevertheless, Scott’s statement indicates Microsoft’s commitment to offering competitive compensation to attract talent from OpenAI.
The transition of Altman, Brockman, and their team to Microsoft to establish a new AI research division was confirmed by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in an announcement early on Monday. More than 600 OpenAI employees had expressed their willingness to follow their former leaders to Microsoft in the event of their resignation, as communicated in a letter to OpenAI’s board.
In an interview with CNBC on Monday, Satya Nadella highlighted the necessity for governance reforms at OpenAI, hinting at imminent changes. While Nadella did not explicitly confirm the recruitment of Altman and Brockman during the interview, he emphasized Microsoft’s dedication to collaborating with OpenAI.
Nadella mentioned, “Our partnership with OpenAI remains a strategic priority, subject to decisions made by the OpenAI community regarding their future alignment.” He stressed Microsoft’s commitment to innovation and readiness to explore various avenues in this evolving landscape.
Altman’s removal from OpenAI’s leadership was linked to a lack of transparency in his communications with the board, resulting in his dismissal on Friday. Emmett Shear, the former CEO of Twitch, assumed interim leadership following extensive discussions that may have influenced Altman’s potential reinstatement.
The OpenAI board now consists of Helen Toner, Tasha McCauley, Adam D’Angelo, and Ilya Sutskever, the company’s chief scientist, who had contemplated resigning, as mentioned in the letter. Sutskever expressed regret in a blog post on Monday for his involvement in the decisions surrounding Altman’s departure, shedding light on the internal dynamics of the organization.
