Game Of CEOs Put To Rest As Sam Altman Reinstated As OpenAI Chief Executive

Post a tumultuous development of circumstances in the Game of CEOs, Sam Altman has been reinstated as the Chief Executive Officer at OpenAI 4 days after being ousted by the board members of the AI startup company.

Saihaj Kaur Madan

Updated on: 22 November 2023 12:23 pm

Sam Altman Reinstated As OpenAI CEO 4 Days After Being Ousted

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI has reached an agreement for Sam Altman to return as CEO days after his ouster. This decision concludes intense deliberations about the future of the startup at the center of an artificial intelligence boom. Additionally, OpenAI is set to overhaul its board of directors, with the appointment of Bret Taylor, former co-CEO of Salesforce, as the new chair. Larry Summers, the former U.S. Treasury Secretary, has also joined the board.

We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam Altman to return to OpenAI as CEO with a new initial board of Bret Taylor (Chair), Larry Summers, and Adam D'Angelo.

We are collaborating to figure out the details. Thank you so much for your patience through this.
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) November 22, 2023

Altman's strategic move was facilitated in part by Microsoft. During his period of unemployment, Microsoft CEO Nadella offered Altman the opportunity to lead a new research team, collaborating with Brockman and other colleagues who had also left OpenAI.

We are encouraged by the changes to the OpenAI board. We believe this is a first essential step on a path to more stable, well-informed, and effective governance. Sam, Greg, and I have talked and agreed they have a key role to play along with the OAI leadership team in ensuring… https://t.co/djO6Fuz6t9
— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) November 22, 2023

By Monday, an overwhelming majority of OpenAI's 700-plus staff had issued a collective ultimatum, threatening to join Microsoft's initiative unless the board resigned and reinstated Altman. This ultimatum was supported by Microsoft's extensive computing capabilities, a crucial asset that powers OpenAI's technology, in addition to its team of computer scientists.

Co-founder and President Brockman commemorated the victory with a staff selfie late Tuesday night, successfully meeting the deadline before the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday. He expressed confidence in OpenAI's resilience, stating, "We will come back stronger and more unified than ever." OpenAI reposted the selfie with the caption, "OpenAI is nothing without its people."

OpenAI is nothing without its people https://t.co/XYKLQ61e6l
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) November 22, 2023

Altman's remarkable comeback is being likened to a storyline reminiscent of Silicon Valley legends, such as Steve Jobs' experience at Apple. Jobs, the CEO of Apple, departed the company in a power struggle in 1985, only to make a triumphant return 12 years later.

Altman, similarly, reclaimed the CEO role after just four days. His initial departure had triggered immediate turmoil at OpenAI, leading to President Greg Brockman resigning in protest.

i love openai, and everything i’ve done over the past few days has been in service of keeping this team and its mission together. when i decided to join msft on sun evening, it was clear that was the best path for me and the team. with the new board and w satya’s support, i’m…
— Sam Altman (@sama) November 22, 2023

Susannah Streeter, who leads the money and markets division at Hargreaves Lansdown, expressed that OpenAI's trajectory is now free from the recent turbulence and uncertainty.

Streeter highlighted that Sam Altman's perspectives on company management will play a significant role in shaping the future direction, particularly as he operates under the oversight of a newly constituted board.