Big News: Sam Altman is Back at OpenAI

OpenAI has made a big decision. Sam Altman is returning as the boss, the CEO. The board at OpenAI is also getting a makeover with new directors. This has caught the attention of Silicon Valley and the AI world.

Bret Taylor, who used to be the co-CEO of Salesforce Inc., will lead the new board. Other important people joining are Larry Summers, who was the US Treasury Secretary, and Adam D’Angelo, the boss of Quora Inc. OpenAI is figuring out all the details, as they shared on X (used to be Twitter).

This move to bring back Sam Altman is a win for Microsoft. They joined forces with other investors to make sure Altman got his job back. Microsoft's CEO, Satya Nadella, publicly supported Altman all through this tough time. There was even talk about Altman working with Microsoft to start a new research group.

We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam Altman to return to OpenAI as CEO with a new initial board of Bret Taylor (Chair), Larry Summers, and Adam D'Angelo.

We are collaborating to figure out the details. Thank you so much for your patience through this. — OpenAI (@OpenAI) November 22, 2023

The new board members, Summers and Taylor, are also catching the eye of Wall Street and Silicon Valley. Summers, from Harvard, is on the boards of many startups, including one led by Jack Dorsey. Taylor, on the other hand, is a director at Shopify Inc. and Twitter.

The OpenAI board is not set in stone yet. They're working hard to pick up to nine new directors. Microsoft, depending a lot on OpenAI's tech, might have a say in the new board, maybe even with a seat or two.

Read More: Microsoft Welcomes Sam Altman as Head of AI Research Following OpenAI Shake-Up

Altman agreed to an internal investigation to find out why he got fired. At first, he won't take a board seat, but maybe later. The decision to bring Altman back came after four days of talks. Almost all OpenAI employees threatened to leave if Altman didn't come back. The whole drama played out on X, with big names expressing their views.

The first reason given for Altman's firing was not being honest with the board. Talks hit a wall over the demand for old board members to leave. Instead, a new leader, Emmett Shear, was named.

This quick change might calm down investors and stop employees from leaving. But it also raises questions about where OpenAI and other AI companies are heading.

Altman, known for ChatGPT, had clashes behind the scenes. It wasn't just about how fast to make AI but also how to sell it and avoid harm. The board also had to deal with Altman's big plans, like getting billions for an AI chip startup.

This story reminds people of other big changes in Silicon Valley, like when Steve Jobs came back to Apple. Now, everyone is watching to see how Altman and OpenAI deal with the challenges ahead in the world of artificial intelligence.

Also Read: France Welcomes Sam Altman After OpenAI Exit