© Reuters. FILE PHOTO: Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, attends the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) CEO Summit in San Francisco, California, U.S. November 16, 2023. REUTERS/Carlos Barria/File Photo
(Reuters) -OpenAI said late on Tuesday Sam Altman would return to the company as CEO, capping days of high drama and marathon discussions about the future of the startup at the center of the global artificial intelligence boom.
Following his surprise dismissal on Friday, Altman had briefly joined Microsoft (NASDAQ:) as the head of artificial intelligence research along with the ChatGPT maker’s former President Greg Brockman and other staff.
The developments come less than a year after OpenAI kicked off a generative AI frenzy with the launch of viral chatbot ChatGPT and bagged Microsoft as an investor, among other big names.
Date Event
Nov. 17 OpenAI board fires CEO, co-founder Sam Altman
and President Greg Brockman quits after being
removed from the board. Company names Mira
Murati as interim CEO
Nov. 18 Altman’s firing was over a “breakdown in
communication between Sam and the board,” and
not “malfeasance”, COO Brad Lightcap says in
an internal memo
Nov. 18 Early investor Khosla Ventures says it wants
Altman back at OpenAI, “but will back him in
whatever he does next”
Nov. 18 Some employees contemplated quitting if
Altman was not restored as CEO by the end of
the weekend, while others expressed support
for joining his new venture, people familiar
with the matter said
Nov. 19 Altman discusses a possible return to the
company, considers launching new AI startup,
source tells Reuters
Nov. 20 Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella says the Windows
maker has hired Altman, Brockman and their
colleagues to lead a new advanced AI research
team
Nov. 20 OpenAI appoints former Twitch boss Emmett
Shear as interim CEO. Shear pledges probe
into Altman’s exit. OpenAI board approaches
rival Anthropic’s CEO on merger, for taking
top job, sources say
Nov. 20 Nearly all OpenAI staff threaten to quit and
join Altman at Microsoft if board doesn’t
resign, according to a letter seen by Reuters
Nov. 20 Some investors in OpenAI explore legal
recourse against the company’s board, sources
familiar with the matter told Reuters
Nov. 21 OpenAI said Altman will return as
CEO with a
new initial board
of Bret Taylor, Larry Summers,
and Adam D’Angelo. Brockman will also
returning to the startup.
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