Sam Altman Officially Returns as OpenAI CEO... Microsoft Joins Board Without Voting Rights

Altman Returns Strengthening MS Influence
Sutskever, Who Led CEO Ouster, Excluded from Board

Sam Altman, who had been ousted from OpenAI, has returned as the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Microsoft (MS) will participate in the new board of directors as a non-voting observer.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to foreign media including The Verge, a U.S. IT specialized outlet, OpenAI announced on the 30th that Altman has returned as CEO.

In a memo sent to employees, Altman said, "I have never been more excited about the future," and expressed sincere gratitude for everyone's efforts during this unclear and unprecedented situation. He added, "I believe our resilience and spirit make us stand out in the industry," and "I am very optimistic about the potential to achieve our mission."

The OpenAI board members will be newly formed. All existing board members except Adam D'Angelo, CEO of Quora and a former board member, will step down. The new board will include Brett Taylor, former CEO of Salesforce, as chairman, and Larry Summers, former U.S. Treasury Secretary. OpenAI expects the number of board members to increase further in the future.

Microsoft, the largest shareholder whose participation in the OpenAI board was highly anticipated, will not join as a board member but will attend the board meetings as an observer. MS holds a 49% stake in OpenAI, making it the largest shareholder, but it was reportedly informed of this fact just before Altman's dismissal, which sparked controversy. By participating as an observer on the board, MS will have no voting rights but will be able to monitor OpenAI's decision-making process from start to finish.

Ilia Sutskever, the chief scientist and a former board member known to have led Altman's ousting, was excluded from the new board as announced. However, internal discussions are reportedly ongoing regarding what role he might take on.

In a memo to employees, Altman said, "I love and respect Ilia," and "I think of him as a guiding light and a human gem. I hold no ill will toward him." He added, "Ilia will not attend the board, but I hope to maintain a collaborative relationship with him," and "We are discussing ways for him to continue working at OpenAI."

Mira Murati, Chief Technology Officer (CTO), who served as CEO during the brief coup within the OpenAI board, will continue her CTO duties as before.

Earlier, on the 17th, the OpenAI board abruptly dismissed Altman. The decisive cause was reportedly a conflict between Altman and the board over the pace of AI development. However, as investors including MS and employees protested, the board surrendered, and Altman returned to the CEO position after five days.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.