An independent investigation commissioned by OpenAI’s nonprofit board has concluded that CEO Sam Altman’s actions “did not mandate removal.” Altman, who weathered a boardroom coup last November, will now resume his position on the board.
In a statement, board chair Bret Taylor revealed that the law firm WilmerHale conducted interviews with board members and employees, in addition to reviewing over 30,000 documents. The investigation determined that Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman remain suitable leaders for OpenAI.
Alongside Altman’s return, Taylor announced the appointment of three new board members: Sue Desmond-Hellmann, former CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Nicole Seligman, former legal executive at Sony; and Fidji Simo, CEO of Instacart. They will join Taylor, Altman, Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo, and Larry Summers in overseeing OpenAI’s nonprofit parent company.
Despite the reinstatement, the public summary of the WilmerHale investigation lacks substantial detail, leaving many questions unanswered.
Despite the reinstatement, the public summary of the WilmerHale investigation lacks substantial detail, leaving many questions unanswered. The summary suggests that Altman’s sudden dismissal last fall, referred to internally as “The Blip,” stemmed from a breakdown in the relationship and trust between the prior board and Altman.
During a recent press briefing, Altman expressed regret for his actions but refrained from providing specifics. Reports suggest tensions arose between Altman and former board member Helen Toner over a critical academic paper. Additionally, concerns were raised about Altman’s other investments potentially conflicting with OpenAI’s interests.
In response to these issues, OpenAI announced plans to enhance its conflict of interest policy and establish a whistleblower hotline. Altman, appearing alongside Taylor during the briefing, remained upbeat and addressed inquiries about the status of co-founder Ilya Sutskever, who played a pivotal role in the failed coup. Altman expressed hope for continued collaboration with Sutskever but provided no concrete updates on his employment status.
Despite recent challenges and internal strife, Altman conveyed optimism and relief, stating that attempts to divide the team had failed, and he is pleased to put the ordeal behind him.
The oust of Altman was a coup de ta.
I thought they were gonna explain why he got removed in the first place
So we still don’t really know why he was initially fired?
They were afraid of him. He has the magic prompt.
Dude built an AI to find dirt on all the board members.
These guys are clowns. Seriously, they are just big tech clowns.