OpenAI had a drama-filled weekend
Image: Justin Sullivan/Getty
OpenAI, the San Francisco-based startup that created ChatGPT, suddenly fired CEO Sam Altman on Friday, in an announcement that came as a surprise to nearly everyone in the tech sector – including Microsoft, OpenAI’s largest investor.
The exact reason for Altman’s firing hasn’t been disclosed. OpenAI’s board initially said the move came after a review concluding Altman “was not consistently candid in his communications with the board,” and later told employees Altman’s removal had nothing to do with “malfeasance or anything related to our financial, business, safety, or security/privacy practice.”
- According to multiple reports, Altman was fired after some board members pushed back against his plan to rapidly expand OpenAI’s commercial offerings, with board members arguing such a move violates the company’s charter to develop AI in a safe and responsible manner.
- Altman’s ambitions and side ventures also strained his relationship with OpenAI’s board, including his ongoing efforts to raise tens of billions of dollars for an AI chip-making company that would rival Nvidia, per Bloomberg.
🤔 What happens next?... The story experienced another Shyamalan-worthy plot twist on Saturday, when Microsoft and other major OpenAI investors reached out to Altman in an attempt to “Command+Z” the situation and bring him back as CEO.
But it was not to be. Early this morning, Microsoft announced it had hired Sam Altman and OpenAI President Greg Brockman to lead an advanced research lab. OpenAI hired the former CEO of Twitch, Emmett Shear, to replace Altman in the interim.
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See a 360° view of what media pundits are saying →
Sprinkles in favor of pushing full steam ahead with AI
- Some commentators argue that AI is just the latest instantiation of the many technological challenges humankind has faced throughout history, when it would have been a mistake to press the “stop” or even the “slow down” buttons.
- Others contend that Altman has already carved out a place on AI Mount Rushmore for his contributions to the technology which has created more curiosity about the future than all but a few ever have before.
- “A Guide to the AI Safety Debate After Sam Altman’s Ouster” –Tyler Cowen, Bloomberg
- “Sam Altman lost his job but not his place in AI history” –Josh Tyrangiel, WaPo
- “OpenAI and Sam Altman turmoil will define the future of your AI and ChatGPT experience” –Lance Ulanoff, Tech Radar
Sprinkles in favor of taking a slow, measured approach to AI
- Some commentators argue that the current generation of AI may not pose risks to humanity but AI is developing so quickly that those risks are already on the horizon, and companies moving forward need to be responsible about the way they develop the technology.
- Others contend that corporate ethics should be of the highest order in AI companies whose products are expected to upend the world as we know it, and that Sam Altman is a leader who recognizes this fact.
- “The multibillion-dollar split behind the shocking OpenAI coup” –Stephen Bartholomeusz, Sydney Morning Herald
- “It's not an OpenAI and shutAI case” –The Economic Times Editorial Board
- “Sam Altman was the trusted face of AI. His firm, though, is much more complex” –John Naughton, The Guardian
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