OpenAI: A New Machine for Generative Artificial Intelligence and the Future of Direct-Input Computing (GPGT) Research (GPT)

One of OpenAI’s other big investors, Thrive Capital, called the return of Altman “the best outcome for the company, its employees, those who build on their technologies, and the world at large.”

According to a person with knowledge of the situation, the board was going to have to provide evidence or documentation to support the firing of the new interim CEO if they were going to keep him. The board is thought to have been caused to negotiate in earnest by this.

Helen Toner, who was reportedly the key board member in the move to oust Altman, tweeted “and now, we all get some sleep,” which will be very funny at a later time, we’re sure.

“OpenAI has the potential to be one of the most consequential companies in the history of computing,” Thrive partner Kelly Sims said in a statement shared with The Verge. “Sam and Greg possess a profound commitment to the company’s integrity, and an unmatched ability to inspire and lead. We are thrilled that they will return to the company they helped build into what it is today.

The deal has been posted by all of the parties, which appears to be done without some last minute paperwork. The team and mission has been served by everything I’ve done over the past few days.

The company said it would form a new board of directors. This comes after the former board voted to fire Altman as CEO late last week.

OpenAI was founded about eight years ago by the likes of Brockman and Musk. Under Altman’s leadership, it transformed into a lucrative juggernaut. Last year, the company released ChatGPT, setting the pace for the tech industry’s focus on a sophisticated type of artificial intelligence known as generative AI.

I joked that the chart that mapped out this relationship looked like something a future GPT might come up with, when Sutskever didn’t appreciate it. He told me that we are the only company in the world with a capped profit structure. It makes sense because we believe if we succeed, then those graphics cards are going to take my job, and your job, and everyone’s job, and it seems nice if that company would not make truly unlimited amounts of returns. In order to make sure the profit-seeking part of the company doesn’t shirk its commitment to make sure that the Artificial Intelligence doesn’t get out of control, there’s that board.

The board had no confidence in the CEO after firing him last Friday because he was not always candid with them. No examples of that alleged behavior were provided, and almost no one at the company knew about the firing until just before it was publicly announced. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and other investors got no advance notice. The four directors, representing a majority of the six-person board, also kicked OpenAI president and chairman Greg Brockman off the board. Brockman stepped down quickly.

Altman’s firing triggered an extraordinary few days in which he discussed returning to the company before agreeing to join Microsoft instead. On Monday morning, hundreds of staff signed a letter threatening to quit the company in protest over the board’s handling of Altman’s removal. By afternoon, more than 95 percent of the company had added their name to the letter.

It might have been hard for him to think of a complex story of corporate intrigue. There are questions about what happened in the first place.