As Altman crisis draws to a close, Microsoft gets observer seat at OpenAI board
Story highlights
When the dramatic events were unfolding less than two weeks ago, Microsoft had offered to hire not only Altman but OpenAI's 750-strong staff, essentially creating an existential crisis for the startup.
Tech giant Microsoft, which has invested billions of dollars in ChatGPT maker OpenAI, has now got a seat on the board that recently fired CEO Sam Altman, kicking off an incredible series of events that saw him joining Microsoft, then returning to OpenAI as CEO.
A memo was shared with OpenAI staff on Wednesday (Nov 29) apprising them of the development.
The memo was later posted to OpenAI's blog.
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It also had a list of priorities from CEO Sam Altman as to how the company would move forward.
The startup went through a chaotic phase on November 17 when Sam Altman was fired.
Soon after his firing, OpenAI staff and investors rebelled, forcing OpenAI's hand to rehire Altman.
Watch | OpenAI's CEO Shake-Up | What it means for the future of AI
"Thank you for everything you have done since the very beginning, and for how you handled things from the moment this started and over the last week," Altman told employees in the memo.
When the dramatic events were unfolding less than two weeks ago, Microsoft had offered to hire not only Altman but OpenAI's 750-strong staff, essentially creating an existential crisis for the startup.
With Altman's return, there was an overhaul of the OpenAI board. Microsoft has now got a seat in a non-voting capacity.
Last week, former US Treasury Secretary and political power broker Larry Summers and Silicon Valley veteran Bret Taylor were added to the board.
Also Read | Explained: How OpenAI's boardroom coup was defeated by Sam Altman, AI world's disruptor-in-chief
OpenAI's chief scientist Ilya Sutskever's presence in the board has not been renewed.
Sutskever sat on the board that sacked Altman.
Altman lauded Sutskever as an AI "guiding light" and added that discussions were going on to find him a role within the company.
(With inputs from agencies)
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