Sam Altman, the mastermind behind ChatGPT and former CEO of OpenAI, is poised to make a comeback to the company he co-founded, following a series of events that led to his initial departure.
Altman revealed his intention to return on Wednesday morning, marking the culmination of intense negotiations with the OpenAI board that transpired throughout the previous day.
This decision is reportedly backed by Microsoft’s CEO, Satya Nadella, who, on Monday, announced the inclusion of Altman and his OpenAI colleagues into Microsoft.
In a post on Wednesday, Altman expressed his commitment to OpenAI’s mission, stating that joining Microsoft two days after being ousted by the OpenAI board was the optimal choice at the time.
He emphasized his love for OpenAI and the collective efforts to preserve the team and its mission.
Altman mentioned, “With the new board and with Satya’s support, I’m looking forward to returning to OpenAI and building on our strong partnership with Microsoft.”
OpenAI confirmed the agreement in principle for Altman’s return in a brief statement, outlining a new initial board consisting of Bret Taylor as Chair, Larry Summers, and Adam D’Angelo.
The company acknowledged the ongoing collaboration to finalize the details.
Earlier in the week, OpenAI’s Vice President of Global Affairs, Anna Makanju, communicated with the staff through a memo, disclosing the company’s engaged discussions with the board, Altman, and Acting CEO Shear to unify the organization.
The communication followed a wave of employee threats to resign unless Altman was reinstated, among other demands.
The board had faced scrutiny for its decision to dismiss Altman, citing concerns about his communication style.
However, the absence of information regarding any misconduct or safety issues left the decision shrouded in mystery.
Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, OpenAI’s major investor, publicly stated that he had not been given any explanation.