The situation at OpenAI is becoming increasingly chaotic. Over 95% of the company’s employees have signed a letter in which they threaten to quit and join Sam Altman at Microsoft unless the current board resigns and reinstates Altman as the former CEO. This powerful move has been supported by more than 700 out of the 770 employees at the company.
The board of OpenAI must be in a state of panic. However, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella appears relatively composed amidst the turmoil surrounding him. In a series of broadcast interviews, Nadella expressed his openness to Altman either returning to OpenAI or joining Microsoft.
This raises the possibility of a potential resolution: Altman going back to OpenAI, the board resigning, and more than 700 employees ending their revolt. Nevertheless, even in this scenario, the company would never be the same again. Nadella emphasized that regardless of Altman’s final destination, a change in governance is imperative for the company.
Meanwhile, Microsoft’s stock achieved a record high on Monday, and it experienced a marginal decrease of 0.4% during early trading on Tuesday as investors eagerly awaited the next significant development.
Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever, one of the board members, has publicly expressed remorse over Altman’s removal.
OpenAI Faces Turmoil as CEO Steps Down
In a surprising turn of events, CEO Sam Altman has expressed deep regret for his role in the actions taken by OpenAI’s board. Emphasizing his love for the company and its achievements, Altman has vowed to do everything in his power to reconcile with OpenAI. However, if the board does not reinstate Altman or if he declines to return as CEO, the situation could escalate into a full-blown crisis.
The tech industry is already taking notice as numerous AI-trained workers at OpenAI contemplate leaving the organization. Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff is openly wooing these researchers, offering immediate employment and matching their current compensation. Benioff has even encouraged them to email him their CVs directly. Nevertheless, Microsoft appears to be the more probable landing spot for most dissatisfied OpenAI employees. This potential mass exodus could result in the ChatGPT creator losing a staggering 95% of its workforce.
Adding to OpenAI’s woes, certain investors are reportedly considering legal action against the company’s board following Altman’s removal as CEO. These developments all point towards Tuesday being a decisive day for OpenAI and its future trajectory.
