The tumultuous events at the artificial intelligence company came to a close with significant changes.
Following a concerted effort by his advocates, employees, and investors, Sam Altman effectively rescinded his resignation from the board of OpenAI last week. Consequently, he was reinstated as the chief executive of the company late on Tuesday.
As part of the restructuring, many individuals who had opposed Mr. Altman will be removed from the board of directors, with the exception of Quora’s CEO, Adam D’Angelo.
The newly formed board, chaired by Bret Taylor and including Larry Summers and Adam D’Angelo, has reached a preliminary agreement for Sam to resume his role as the CEO of OpenAI. Details of this arrangement are currently being finalized, and your patience during this process is greatly appreciated.
The recent reshuffling of the board, which saw the return of Mr. Altman and Greg Brockman, marks the end of a chaotic period that unsettled OpenAI, a prominent player in the artificial intelligence industry known for creating the ChatGPT chatbot.
Mr. Taylor, a former co-CEO of Amazon, will assume the role of committee chair on the restructured board, alongside Mrs. Summers and Mr. D’Angelo.
Sources close to the discussions revealed that Mr. D’Angelo played a pivotal role in the decision-making process, with the groundwork for the changes laid out by late Sunday.
The delay in reinstating Mr. Altman was attributed to the deliberations on the board’s composition, with indications that the newly formed committee, referred to as the “initial” board, may evolve over time.
On Tuesday, Mr. D’Angelo, Tasha McCauley, and Helen Toner advocated for specific concessions from Mrs. Altman, including an independent inquiry into his leadership at OpenAI.
Ultimately, Ms. Toner and Mrs. McCauley opted to step down from the board, recognizing the need for a fresh start. Concerned that their collective decision might be misconstrued as an error, they felt it necessary to resign together.
Microsoft, the primary investor in OpenAI, supported the board’s decision, with CEO Satya Nadella viewing the changes as a positive step towards more stable and successful management. He encouraged Mr. Altman and Mr. Brockman to return to OpenAI.
Following a period of uncertainty, OpenAI employees welcomed a return to normalcy on Tuesday evening, expressing relief and optimism for the future.
As the company prepares for a new funding round led by Thrive Capital, set to elevate OpenAI’s value to over $80 billion, the outlook remains promising.
In a message to The New York Times, Sam Altman extended Thanksgiving wishes and expressed his commitment to the continued success of OpenAI.
