In a surprising twist of events, the board of OpenAI, the non-profit research company known for its AI chatbot ChatGPT, is reportedly in talks to reinstate CEO Sam Altman, just two days after firing him. This sudden change comes amidst internal turmoil within the company and pressure from investors.
Altman's initial dismissal was attributed to a lack of transparency in his communications with the board. However, the specific nature of the alleged communication issues remains unclear.
The decision to remove Altman from his position resulted in a wave of resignations from senior executives, including co-founder and president Greg Brockman, as well as several high-ranking researchers.
In light of this internal upheaval, the OpenAI board seems to have reconsidered its decision. Sources close to Altman indicate that the board is engaged in negotiations with the former CEO to reinstate him to his previous role.
Altman, however, is reportedly hesitant to return without significant changes to the company's governance structure.
According to The Verge, OpenAI staff set an ultimatum for the entire board to resign and allow Sam Altman and Greg to return by 5 pm PT yesterday.
The board has already missed this crucial deadline, which many OpenAI employees were prepared to resign over. If Altman departs and launches a new venture, these employees are expected to follow suit.
Interestingly, Sam Altman posted a tweet expressing his affection for the OpenAI team, to which several OpenAI members, including new Interim CEO Mira Murti, responded with love emojis.
While the exact meaning of this interaction is unknown, it could suggest that Sam and Greg may return to OpenAI. The situation remains fluid, and anything could happen as events unfold.
