Source: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / Getty / Sam Altman
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman wasn’t on the unemployment line very long after he was fired by OpenAI after Microsoft quickly scooped him up.
As The Verge reported, Sam Altman was hired by Microsoft. Joining him is OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman.
OpenAI shockingly fired Altman on Friday, November 17, after the board said it “no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI.”
Interestingly, after his firing, negotiations between Altman and OpenAI to bring him back took place. Sources told The Verge that negotiations crumbled because the board refused to step down. Microsoft eventually jumped in and hired Altman.
Former Twitch CEO and co-founder Emmett Shear will step into interim CEO role.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced Altman and Brockman’s hiring in a post on X (formerly Twitter). They will lead Microsoft’s new advanced AI research team, and Altman will become CEO.
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. We look forward to getting to know Emmett…
— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) November 20, 2023
“We’re extremely excited to share the news that Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, together with colleagues, will be joining Microsoft to lead a new advanced AI research team,” Nadella said. “We look forward to moving quickly to provide them with the resources needed for their success.”
In a quote repost of Nadella’s X post, Altman mentioned his hiring at Microsoft, adding, “the mission continues.”
the mission continues https://t.co/d1pHiFxcSe
— Sam Altman (@sama) November 20, 2023
In response, Nadella wrote, “We’ve learned a lot over the years about how to give founders and innovators space to build independent identities and cultures within Microsoft, including GitHub, Mojang Studios, and LinkedIn, and I’m looking forward to having you do the same.”
What this means for OpenAI’s future remains unclear, but this is a massive shakeup, and Microsoft is pretty happy.
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Photo: ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / Getty
