From OpenAI ouster to Microsoft AI research CEO: Sam Altman’s tumultuous weekend

Following a surprise ouster, OpenAI co-founder and former CEO Sam Altman joined Microsoft as the head of artificial intelligence research along with the ChatGPT maker’s former President Greg Brockman and other staff.

The developments come less than a year after OpenAI kicked off the generative AI frenzy with the launch of viral chatbot ChatGPT and bagged Microsoft as an investor, among other big names.

The shakeup is not the first at OpenAI, which was launched in 2015. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, a co-founder of the non-profit, was once its co-chair, and in 2020 other executives departed, going on to found competitor Anthropic, which claims to have a greater focus on AI safety.

Date Event

Nov. 17 OpenAI board fires CEO, co-founder Sam Altman

and President Greg Brockman quits after being

removed from the board. Company names Mira

Murati as interim CEO

Nov. 18 Altman’s firing was over a “breakdown in

communication between Sam and the board,” and

not “malfeasance”, COO Brad Lightcap says in

an internal memo

Nov. 18 Early investor Khosla Ventures says it wants

Altman back at OpenAI, “but will back him in

whatever he does next”

Nov. 18 Some employees contemplated quitting if Altman

was not restored as CEO by the end of the

weekend, while others expressed support for

joining his new venture, people familiar with

the matter said

Nov. 19 Altman discusses a possible return to the

company, considers launching new AI startup,

source tells Reuters

Nov. 20 Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella says the Windows

maker has hired Altman, Brockman and their

colleagues to lead a new advanced AI research

team

Nov. 20 OpenAI appoints former Twitch boss Emmett

Shear as interim CEO