In a surprising turn of events, OpenAI, the organization behind ChatGPT, has ousted its founder and CEO, Sam Altman. The decision, outlined in a blog post on November 17, cites Altman’s alleged lack of consistent transparency in his communications with the board as the primary reason for his removal. Taking over as interim CEO is Mira Murati, the current Chief Technology Officer.
The board of directors conducted a thorough review process, concluding that Altman’s communication style impeded the board’s ability to fulfill its responsibilities. Despite expressing gratitude for Altman’s contributions, the board emphasized the need for new leadership to propel OpenAI forward.
Remaining steadfast in its commitment to advancing artificial general intelligence for the benefit of humanity, the board assured the public that Mira Murati is well-suited to guide OpenAI during this transitional period. Greg Brockman, the board’s chairman, will step down from his position but will continue as an employee reporting to the CEO.
The board of directors, which includes Adam D’Angelo, Tasha McCauley, Helen Toner, and OpenAI chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, consists mainly of independent directors without equity in OpenAI. Despite Altman’s removal from OpenAI, he remains associated with Tools for Humanity and the crypto project Worldcoin.
