Sam Altman is set to make a comeback to OpenAI’s board after being removed late last year. A recent review concluded that there was no valid reason for his dismissal, as reported by the Financial Times on March 8. Altman, who co-founded the artificial intelligence (AI) company, was initially ousted from his roles as CEO and board member in January. However, the remaining board members, who later resigned themselves, swiftly reinstated him. According to board chair Bret Taylor, the review revealed a breakdown in trust between the previous board and Altman but found no evidence of misleading investors by the CEO.
In an interview with the Financial Times, Taylor stated, “This was simply a breakdown in trust between the board and Mr. Altman.” He further mentioned that the past board had acted in good faith and had not foreseen the ensuing instability. Altman expressed his relief on Friday, stating, “I’m pleased this whole thing is over.” He also criticized individuals with ulterior motives for attempting to damage the company and its mission through leaked information, which ultimately proved unsuccessful and detrimental to OpenAI.
The issue of potential investor deception at OpenAI has attracted the attention of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), which is reportedly conducting an investigation. Additionally, recent discussions around “responsible AI” have emerged following an open letter from OpenAI, Salesforce, and other tech firms emphasizing the collective responsibility to maximize the benefits of AI while mitigating associated risks to society. Kate Kalcevich from the digital accessibility company Fable highlighted the importance of using AI ethically to avoid creating barriers for individuals with disabilities. She raised concerns about the exclusion of people with disabilities in critical services like healthcare, education, and employment if AI technologies are not designed with accessibility in mind.
