ChatGPT creator OpenAI on Wednesday announced the return to company of ousted CEO Sam Altman, bringing to an end a crisis that began with this unceremonious termination by the board of directors, on November 17.
“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,” the San Francisco-based AI research firm wrote on X (formerly Twitter).
Satya Nadella's reaction as Sam Altman returns to OpenAI
Sam Altman was fired by OpenAI on November 17 and was rehired within five days. In the meantime, Sam Altman got hired by Satya Nadella.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella welcomed Sam Altman's decision to go back to OpenAI which fired him a few days ago and said he talked with Sam over the issue. "Sam, Greg, and I have talked and agreed they have a key role to play along with the OAI leadership team in ensuring OAI continues to thrive and build on its mission. We look forward to building on our strong partnership and delivering the value of this next generation of AI to our customers and partners," Satya Nadella wrote minutes after Sam Altman announced his decision on X, on Wednesday.
After OpenAI fired Sam Altman in a surprise move on Friday, Microsoft hired Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, OpenAI co-founders, to head a new advanced AI research team,
"I love openai, and everything i’ve done over the past few days has been in service of keeping this team and its mission together. when i decided to join msft on sun evening, it was clear that was the best path for me and the team. with the new board and w satya’s support, i’m looking forward to returning to openai, and building on our strong partnership with msft," Sam Altman posted soon after OpenAI confirmed Sam Altman's return through an agreement-in-principle
"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 tweeted.
Greg Brockman confirmed on X that he would also be returning to OpenAI and would be getting back to coding tonight itself – an update that OpenAI could not but “love-reacted”.
Sam Altman's ouster from OpenAI to reinstatement: What happened in 6 days?
1. On November 17, OpenAI announced that Sam Altman was dismissed for "inconsistencies in communication" with the company's board. The board said it no longer had confidence in Altman's ability to lead OpenAI.
2. Replacing Sam Altman, OpenAI announced the name of Mira Murati as interim CEO.
3. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said Microsoft's partnership with OpenAI would continue.
4. After Sam Altman's exit, OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman also announced his exit. “I’m super proud of what we’ve all built together since starting in my apartment 8 years ago. We’ve been through tough & great times together, accomplishing so much despite all the reasons it should have been impossible. But based on today’s news, I quit. Genuinely wish you all nothing but the best. I continue to believe in the mission of creating safe (artificial general intelligence) that benefits all of humanity," he wrote.
5. On November 18, Sam Altman issued a statement and said it was a weird experience. “I love you all. Today was a weird experience in many ways. but one unexpected one is that it has been sorta like reading your own eulogy while you’re still alive. The outpouring of love is awesome. One takeaway: go tell your friends how great you think they are. If I start going off, the Openai board should go after me for the full value of my shares," he tweeted.
6. There were speculations over Sam Altman's return to OpenAI as there were rounds of discussions. On November 20, it was reported that Altman would not return.
7. On November 20, Satya Nadella announced that both Sam Altman and Greg Brockman would be joining Microsoft to head a new team. “We remain committed to our partnership with OpenAI and have confidence in our product roadmap, our ability to continue to innovate with everything we announced at Microsoft Ignite, and in continuing to support our customers and partners," Nadella announced.
8. Around 505 employees of OpenAI on November 20 threatened to resign en masse if the company's board of directors failed to step down.
9. On November 22, OpenAI announced the return of Sam Altman and Greg Brockman
‘Want someone from within company’: Apple CEO Tim Cook on future successor
Cook was appointed Apple CEO in August 2011, succeeding co-founder Steve Jobs, months before the latter's demise in October that year.
Apple CEO Tim Cook, who has held that position since August 2011, has said he wants to be succeeded by someone from within the company itself, adding that the iPhone maker has ‘detailed succession’ plans in place.
Cook was speaking on BBC's ‘Dua Lipa: At Your Service’ podcast hosted by the British-Albanian singer.
“I really want a person to come from within Apple, the next CEO…and so that is my role to make sure that there are several (options) for the board to pick from,” Cook said, when asked by Lipa about his possible successor at the tech giant.
The business leader, 63, however, refused to reveal who all were being considered as Apple's next leader, when he steps down or moves on.
“I can't say (a name). But I would say that my job is to prepare several people for the ability to succeed. Now, we are company that believes in succession plans…and so we have very detailed succession plans. This is because something that is unpredictable can always happen,” he added.
