IT Home reported on November 20 that due to the sudden dismissal of former OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, the company's board of directors suddenly became lively.
The Information, citing two people familiar with the matter, revealed that Microsoft is considering a significant role on OpenAI's board of directors.
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If the ousted Sam Altman returns to OpenAI in the future, Microsoft may use this opportunity to lay its own pawns. One of the people said Microsoft could serve as a director on OpenAI's board of directors or as an observer without voting rights.
Yesterday, people familiar with the matter said that Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has been in contact with Altman and has pledged to support any next move he takes.
Nadella has allegedly been trying to assist OpenAI's interim CEO Mira Murati in discussions about Altman's return, even taking matters into his own hands.
He said that if Altman still can't return to OpenAI in the end, Microsoft will consider investing in Altman's new venture. One of them stressed that Nadella himself is unlikely to join OpenAI's board of directors.
IT House attaches a general outline of the recall incident:
Greg Brockman, former president and co-founder of OpenAI
- On Thursday night, Sam received a text message from Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever, asking for a conversation at noon on Friday. Sam attended a Google Meet meeting with the entire board in attendance except Greg. Ilya tells Sam that he will be fired, and the news will come out soon.
- At 12:19 p.m. local time, Greg received a text message from Ilya asking for a quick call back.
- At 12:23 p.m. local time, Ilya sent a Google Meet link. Greg was told that he would be removed from the board of directors (but he was vital to the company and would retain his position), while Sam had been fired. Around the same time, OpenAI published a blog post.
- It didn't take long for the management team to realise this, with the exception of interim CEO Mira Murati, who had found out the night before.
Public information early on November 18, Beijing time:
- On Friday local time, OpenAI announced that Sam Altman would step down as CEO and leave the board of directors, and be replaced by Mira Murati, head of technology, effective immediately.
- In a blog post, OpenAI's board of directors said that after a "review process," it concluded that Altman's communication with the board was not consistently open and honest, hindering the board's ability to perform its duties. "The board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue to lead OpenAI. ”
- Altman's X post: "I loved my time at OpenAI, it was revolutionary for me and hopefully it will change the world as well. Most of all, I love working with these talented people. I have more details to say after that. ”
On November 19, Beijing time, the media reported that the news:
- Sam Altman told investors that he plans to launch a new AI venture. Greg Brockman is expected to join the venture, which is still under development and the exact nature of the joint venture is unclear.
- OpenAI's board of directors is in discussions with Altman about returning to the CEO role. He feels "ambivalent" about the return and wants a major change in governance.
- Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella has spoken to Altman to make sure he can return to work at OpenAI on Monday local time.
- Altman met with former president Greg Brockman as a "visitor" at the company's San Francisco headquarters.