Following a series of board power struggles, Emmett Shear, the CEO of Twitch, is poised to assume the role of interim CEO at OpenAI.
After a round of negotiations aimed at reinstating Sam Altman as the CEO of OpenAI subsequent to his unexpected dismissal, the volunteer board of the company has opted for a different path by appointing the former CEO of Twitch, Emmett Shear, as the interim CEO. Shear is expected to succeed Mira Murati, who was previously aligned with Altman. This development was first reported by The Knowledge.
This recent appointment marks the third change in leadership within a span of three days.
The selection of Shear signifies a definitive shift away from Altman’s potential reinstatement, following his termination on Friday due to the board’s assertion that he had not been entirely transparent in his communications. As detailed in our previous report on Saturday, discussions about Altman’s potential return were initiated promptly in response to shareholder pressure and the looming threat of a significant staff walkout.
Sources revealed on Saturday evening to The Verge that the remaining board members failed to meet the 5PM PT deadline to retract their decision and reinstate Altman and fellow co-founder Greg Brockman, consequently risking a wave of staff resignations. Subsequently, members of the OpenAI community began expressing their support for Altman on various social media platforms.
Altman made a return to the premises of OpenAI earlier today, stating that it would be the “first and last time” he would wear a visitor’s badge, hinting at the possibility of his eventual return as CEO or his complete disassociation from the organization.
OpenAI’s prominence has surged notably since the introduction of ChatGPT. Recent reports suggest that the company’s valuation has soared to an estimated \(80 to \)90 billion in recent weeks. Additionally, Altman disclosed earlier this month that the company boasts a user base exceeding 100 million regular customers.
