In a surprising twist, OpenAI made a significant announcement on November 22 via X (formerly known as Twitter), declaring the reinstatement of Sam Altman as the CEO. This decision follows strong pressure from employees and investors disapproving of Altman's sudden removal by the board just a week prior.
OpenAI disclosed an "agreement in principle" for Altman’s return as CEO, along with the induction of Bret Taylor, former co-CEO of Salesforce, and Larry Summers, former Secretary of the Treasury, onto the board. Adam D'Angelo, co-founder and CEO of Quora, remains a part of the board.
The company assured, "We are collaboratively working out the details. We appreciate your patience throughout this process."
Expressing his commitment to OpenAI, Altman stated on X, "I'm deeply invested in OpenAI, and my actions have been aimed at preserving the team and its mission. Joining Microsoft seemed the best decision at the time, but with the support of Satya and the new board, I eagerly anticipate returning to OpenAI and advancing our strong partnership with Microsoft."
Greg Brockman, former president of OpenAI who resigned following Altman's departure, also confirmed his return to the startup.
Amidst the turmoil, a group of employees, including co-founder Ilya Sutskever, signed a letter on November 20 demanding the resignation of the remaining board members. They hinted at following Altman to his new AI research venture at Microsoft if their demands were not met.
The former OpenAI board, criticized for the unexpected removal of Altman, consisted of chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, independent directors D'Angelo, technology entrepreneur Tasha McCauley, and Helen Toner from the Georgetown Center for Security and Emerging Technology.
Microsoft's CEO Satya Nadella voiced support for the board changes at OpenAI, expressing optimism for a more stable and informed governance. Nadella confirmed that Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman would lead a new advanced AI research team at Microsoft.
Emmett Shear, recently appointed interim CEO at OpenAI, praised the resolution, saying, "I'm immensely satisfied with this outcome after nearly 72 intense hours of deliberation. When I stepped into OpenAI, I wasn’t certain of the right path forward. This decision prioritized safety while ensuring fairness to all stakeholders involved. I'm grateful to have contributed to this solution."
