AIster · The ChatGPT shock · Culture
OpenAI's board fires Sam Altman, then takes him back
The crisis tested whether a non-profit board could control a commercial AI lab
Key facts
- Date
- 17–22 Nov 2023
- Era
- The ChatGPT shock
- Interest
- Culture
- Threads
- Labs & people
- Who
- Sam Altman, OpenAI's board, Microsoft, OpenAI staff
- Fired
- 17 Nov 2023, for not being “consistently candid” with the board
- Return
- Agreement in principle announced 21–22 Nov; formal return 29 Nov
- New board
- Bret Taylor (chair), Larry Summers, Adam D'Angelo; Microsoft as non-voting observer
On Friday 17 November 2023, OpenAI's board announced that Sam Altman would leave as chief executive and leave the board. It said a review had concluded that he “was not consistently candid in his communications with the board, hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities,” and that it no longer had confidence in him. Chief technology officer Mira Murati was named interim CEO. Greg Brockman stepped down as chairman and later quit the company.
Why the board could do this
The decision was made by the board of OpenAI, Inc., the non-profit that acts as the governing body for all of OpenAI's activities, including its commercial arm. Its mission is to ensure that artificial general intelligence (AI as capable as people across most kinds of work) benefits all of humanity. After the change the board had four members: chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, Quora CEO Adam D'Angelo, entrepreneur Tasha McCauley and Helen Toner of Georgetown's Center for Security and Emerging Technology.
The weekend and after
An attempt to bring Altman back over the weekend failed when, on Sunday, the board named former Twitch chief Emmett Shear as interim CEO. Microsoft, OpenAI's biggest backer, moved to hire Altman and Brockman to head a new research team. On Monday 20 November, senior staff including Murati posted the same line on X: “OpenAI is nothing without its people.” Nearly all of OpenAI's more than 700 employees signed a letter threatening to leave unless the board resigned and reinstated Altman and Brockman.
Late on 21 November, Pacific time, OpenAI said it had reached an agreement in principle for Altman to return as CEO with a new initial board of Bret Taylor (chair), Larry Summers and Adam D'Angelo. Microsoft's Satya Nadella called it “a first essential step on a path to more stable, well-informed, and effective governance.”
The settlement
Altman formally returned on 29 November. Murati went back to being CTO, Brockman returned as president, and Sutskever left the board. The new board said it would include a non-voting observer for Microsoft and oversee an independent review of the events.
Why it matters
The episode showed that OpenAI's unusual structure could remove its leader, and also that staff and investors could reverse the decision within days. It raised lasting questions about whether a non-profit board can hold a commercial AI lab to its safety mission.
Questions people ask
Why was Sam Altman fired from OpenAI?
OpenAI's board said a review had found he was not consistently candid in his communications with the board, which hindered its ability to exercise its responsibilities. It did not give further detail at the time.
How long was Sam Altman out of OpenAI?
About five days. He was removed on 17 November 2023, OpenAI announced an agreement in principle for his return late on 21 November (Pacific time), and he formally returned as CEO on 29 November.
Sources
- OpenAI, OpenAI announces leadership transition, 2023-11-17
- Reuters, OpenAI to bring back Sam Altman as CEO after his tumultuous ouster, 2023-11-22
- OpenAI, Sam Altman returns as CEO, OpenAI has a new initial board, 2023-11-29