Former OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is set to lead a new advanced AI research team at Microsoft, as announced by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. Altman, along with former OpenAI President and Board Chair Greg Brockman and other colleagues, will be joining Microsoft to steer a new innovative AI research group. Microsoft, a technological giant, has invested billions in OpenAI and maintains a close partnership with the organization. Nadella expressed the intention to swiftly provide the necessary resources for their success.
The commitment to the relationship with OpenAI and confidence in Microsoft’s product strategy, growth capabilities as outlined at Microsoft Ignite, and ongoing support for customers and partners were reiterated. Nadella’s announcement was shared by Altman himself, who cryptically added, “The mission continues.”
Altman, who had been leading OpenAI since 2019, was relieved of his duties by the OpenAI committee on Friday. He was replaced by technology CEO Mira Murati on an interim basis due to alleged inconsistencies in communication with the board.
Despite this leadership change, a group of OpenAI stakeholders advocating for Altman’s reinstatement remained undeterred over the weekend. On Sunday night, OpenAI revealed that Emmett Shear, the former CEO of Twitch, would be joining the company to oversee its artificial intelligence endeavors. Shortly after, Nadella hinted at the integration of Altman and Brockman, who had departed from their roles at OpenAI, into Microsoft’s internal team.
Nadella expressed enthusiasm about collaborating with Shear and the new management team at OpenAI. OpenAI gained prominence after the launch of its ChatGPT bot in late 2022. Reports indicated discussions about offering employee stock to investors at an $86 billion valuation as early as next month. ChatGPT users can input simple text queries and receive responses, facilitating more in-depth conversations.
