Inside OpenAI’s chaotic five days: How CEO Sam Altman was sacked, then snapped up by Microsoft only for him to return to ChatGPT creators along with a new board

Sam Altman, the face of ChatGPT technology, was sensationally ousted from his role as CEO of the company he co-founded, OpenAI, on Friday which is was only the beginning of a chaotic five days in Silicon Valley.

Altman’s firing led to a near mutiny from OpenAI employees who en masse threatened to follow their former leader to Microsoft. 

Following that apparent ultimatum from staff, efforts began over the weekend to get Altman back on board. 

Those efforts appeared to have been in vain by Monday as OpenAI announced that former Twitch head-honcho Emmett Shear had been installed as CEO on a temporary basis with Altman joining Microsoft. 

The most shocking moment was yet to come however when late Tuesday, OpenAI and Altman confirmed that he was back as CEO alongside a new-look board that saw all but one of those who voted for his removal gone from the company. 

This is the timeline of everything that we know so far: 

Sam Altman, 38, was pulled as CEO of ChatGPT-maker OpenAI Friday over fears he was flouting the dangers of artificial intelligence, according to a new report

Aside from sparking worry amongst the public, this uncertainty was apparently also felt within OpenAI’s six-person board, according to The New York Times report – particularly, by one of Altman’s cofounders, Ilya Sutskever

Friday: Reports emerge from various sources across Silicon Valley that Sam Altman has been fired from his role as CEO of OpenAI, leading the tech tycoon to comment on X that it was ‘sorta like reading your own eulogy while you’re still alive.’

Jakob Pachocki and fellow cofounder Greg Brockman, were seemingly taken aback by the firing and both quit in protest of the alleged ambush late Friday night.

Brockman said in a series of posts on X that Altman was asked to attend a meeting on Friday at noon by fellow co-founder Ilya Sutskever. Brockman was the only board member who was not present. 

At that meeting, Altman is told that he was being fired. 

The New York Times later reported that Sutskever and Altman had been at odds for at least a year. 

Sutskever was allegedly concerned about Altman’s focus on growth over AI safety. The pair had been working together for eight years at the time of the firing. 

A few weeks previously, Altman was said to be angry with another board member, Helen Toner, who is also the director of strategy at Georgetown University’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology.

Toner published a paper that was critical of OpenAI and its practices around AI safety. In the same paper, Toner was complimentary of the one of the company’s competitors, a startup named Anthropic. 

‘I did not feel we’re on the same page on the damage of all this. Any amount of criticism from a board member carries a lot of weight,’ Altman wrote to Toner in an email, according to the Times. 

The paper came as the Federal Trade Commission continues to investigate the world of AI. Sutskver appeared to side with Toner in the dispute because as the Times put it: ‘[Sutskver] is deeply concerned that AI could one day destroy humanity.’ 

Former OpenAI board member Helen Toner expressed concerns about the company’s direction with regarding making technology safe in a paper that attracted Altman’s ire

Altman appeared to confirm that he would not be returning to OpenAI with this picture he posted to X on Sunday 

Saturday: There were efforts from execs to bring him back and a leaked memo to staff suggested the company was ‘optimistic’ about his possible return.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella is reported to have been ‘blindsided’ by the decision to remove Altman. Microsoft is among the biggest investors to OpenAI. Nadella was heavily involved behind the scenes in negotiations between Altman and the board.

Meanwhile, OpenAI CTO Jason Kwon wrote a memo to staff stating that the leadership was ‘optimistic’ that everyone who left, including Altman, would be brought back.  

Sunday: Reports swirled that he was open to returning if there was a change of board and governance at the company.

Altman then threw cold water on the rumors, posting a snap of himself using an OpenAI guest-pass while visiting his old employer on X, and wrote: ‘first and last time i ever wear one of these.’ 

This was seemingly confirmed when Sutskever issued a memo saying Altman was gone for good, as result several more employees depart. 

Monday: Nadella announced that Altman, OAI co-founder Greg Brockman and Jakub Pachocki would be joining Microsoft to lead a new AI innovation team.

The CEO issues a statement saying that his company remains committed to investing in AI.  

In the meantime, former Twitch leader Emmett Shear had taken over as OpenAI’s interim chief executive becoming the company’s third CEO in three days. Since Altman’s firing on Friday afternoon, former CTO Mira Murati had been installed in the role. 

Meanwhile, Ilya Sutskever issues statement in which he states his regrets over his role in Altman’s departure.

Former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers is also joining the OpenAI Board of Directors

Former Twitter chair Bret Taylor is another new addition to the OpenAI board

CEO and Co-founder of Quora Adam D’Angelo (pictured left) will remain on the board of OpenAI

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella also welcomed the news of Altman’s return in a message on X 

Altman announced his formal return to OpenAI in a message on X 

The Wall Street Journal reports that this came after an intervention from Brockman’s wife, Anna. The couple were married at OpenAI’s headquarters in 2019 with Sutskever officiating. 

‘I deeply regret my participation in the board’s actions. I never intended to harm OpenAI. I love everything we’ve built together and I will do everything I can to reunite the company,’ Sutskever wrote on X. 

He then signed a letter calling for the current board to resign. The letter was issued by a majority of staff that showed up to work on Monday amid the turomoil. 

Tuesday: After days of turmoil, Altman announced on X that he is to return to OpenAI. It was earlier reported that Altman and Brockman were ready to return if the the board who fired the former CEO walked. 

The co-founder will join a new board that includes former US treasury secretary Larry Summers, former co-CEO of Salesforce Bret Taylor and Adam D’Angelo, the only holdover for the previous administration. 

Days earlier, D’Angelo voted to oust Altman. ‘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,’ Altman wrote on X.

His return saw one of the company’s founders, Illya Sutskever, as well as Helen Toner and Tasha McCauley leave.  

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