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Five days after an attempted boardroom coup, Sam Altman is returning as CEO of OpenAI.
OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, said in a statement early Wednesday morning that it has an “agreement in principle” for Altman to return with a new initial board. Former president Greg Brockman is also coming back to the organization.
“We are collaborating to figure out the details,” OpenAI added.
The new board will be composed of Bret Taylor, who will serve as chair; Larry Summers, the former Treasury secretary; and Adam D’Angelo, the only member of OpenAI’s previous board to remain. Altman won’t be on the initial board.
Altman has also agreed to an internal investigation into why he was fired by the board, according to The Information.
Here’s what key parties, investors and tech journalists are saying about Altman’s chaotic departure from and return to OpenAI.
Key parties
Sam 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. 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…
— Sam Altman (@sama) November 22, 2023
Greg Brockman
we are so back pic.twitter.com/YcKwkqdNs5
— Greg Brockman (@gdb) November 22, 2023
OpenAI
OpenAI is nothing without its people https://t.co/XYKLQ61e6l
— OpenAI (@OpenAI) November 22, 2023
Ex-interim OpenAI CEO Emmett Shear
I am deeply pleased by this result, after ~72 very intense hours of work. Coming into OpenAI, I wasn’t sure what the right path would be. This was the pathway that maximized safety alongside doing right by all stakeholders involved. I’m glad to have been a part of the solution. https://t.co/AGoDBbwhkq
— Emmett Shear (@eshear) November 22, 2023
OpenAI chief technology officer Mira Murati
— Mira Murati (@miramurati) November 22, 2023
Ex-OpenAI board member Helen Toner
And now, we all get some sleep�� https://t.co/33Shlm04EQ
— Helen Toner (@hlntnr) November 22, 2023
Bret Taylor, chair of the new initial OpenAI board
— Bret Taylor (@btaylor) November 22, 2023
Investors
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella
We are encouraged by the changes to the OpenAI board. We believe this is a first essential step on a path to more stable, well-informed, and effective governance. Sam, Greg, and I have talked and agreed they have a key role to play along with the OAI leadership team in ensuring… https://t.co/djO6Fuz6t9
— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) November 22, 2023
Siqi Chen, board of directors at Sandbox VR
pretty wild that the first job openai took was sam's
— Siqi Chen (@blader) November 17, 2023
Peter Lee, corporate VP, Microsoft Research
Sure it would have been fun having Sam, Greg, and so many others as new Microsoft colleagues. But man, this is a such wonderful outcome for all of us at OpenAI and Microsoft, and for everyone else who cares about the future of AI for all. https://t.co/Q7qOq6hzpJ
— Peter Lee (@peteratmsr) November 22, 2023
Journalists
Kara Swisher
If the goal of the former board was to make a point about too rapidly accelerating AI, it did, but at a really high cost to the company. It also makes, once again this year, Silicon Valley look like a demented goat rodeo of people who can’t stop braying until they get theirs. https://t.co/1JatVFgmJq
— Kara Swisher (@karaswisher) November 22, 2023
Emily Chang, Bloomberg
There are still big questions about why this happened, how much was due to petty personal issues/egos vs fundamental disagreements about the future of AI.
— Emily Chang (@emilychangtv) November 22, 2023
It’s only humanity at stake. So let’s hope they figure it out. ��
Alex Heath, The Verge
Story on Sam Altman returning to lead OpenAI, with @reckless:
— Alex Heath (@alexeheath) November 22, 2023
We’re told that both sides have agreed to an investigation — presumably by an outside, independent law firm — into this whole saga, which seems to be deeply rooted in a very human power struggle. Based on our…
Amir Efrati, The Information
also- many blessings to the executives, managers and lawyers who waited until just AFTER kids' normal bedtime to make big news https://t.co/LCjGubTBtd
— Amir Efrati (@amir) November 22, 2023
delighted to inform you all that a literal fire alarm went off at the OpenAI celebration party, fire trucks showed up, and firefighters declared it a false alarm. (a smoke machine from the party triggered it.) we love a metaphor!
— Erin Woo (@erinkwoo) November 22, 2023
more here from the team: https://t.co/CUclwf3eQO pic.twitter.com/q0cFd7qSsv
And, because it’s the one detail I know you all most want to know.
— Ina Fried (@inafried) November 22, 2023
I made it to bag 9 of 10 in my Lego build of The Office before @sama @satya @btaylor @adamdangelo ironed it all out. pic.twitter.com/viVuJ7saHZ
Mike Bird, The Economist
The last week in OpenAI history pic.twitter.com/EPnTsezUxZ
— Mike Bird (@Birdyword) November 22, 2023
(This article has been updated for relevancy purposes. It first appeared on PRWeek)
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