Over 500 employees of OpenAI are threatening to resign unless all current board members step down, according to a letter obtained by Reuters. The move follows the recent termination of CEO Sam Altman and removal of Greg Brockman from the board. Key executives, including CTO Mira Murati, Chief Data Scientist Ilya Sutskever, and COO Brad Lightcap, are among those considering departure. The employees express concern that recent actions jeopardize OpenAI’s mission. The development comes after Altman’s termination, and Microsoft’s announcement of Altman and Brockman leading a new advanced AI research team.
Board Resignation Demand:Over 500 OpenAI employees threaten to leave unless current board members resign.
Concerns Over Leadership: Letter expresses concern about recent CEO termination and board removal, questioning competence.
Executives Joining Microsoft:Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, along with colleagues, to lead a new AI research team at Microsoft.
Microsoft’s Response: Satya Nadella welcomes Altman, Brockman, and colleagues, expressing excitement about the new AI research team.
The developments unfold less than a year after OpenAI launched the viral ChatGPT and secured investments, including Microsoft.
Who is Sam Altman?
Sam Altman, an entrepreneur with disruptive views on AI, served as OpenAI’s CEO from 2019 to 2023. Known for his tech prowess, he dropped out of Stanford University to develop the mobile app Loopt. Altman has been associated with firms like WorldCoin, Y Combinator, and briefly served as Reddit’s CEO.
