Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella revealed on Monday that Sam Altman, a key figure at OpenAI and co-founder of ChatGPT, has been hired, along with his team, to lead a new advanced AI research division at Microsoft. Altman, who gained prominence with the launch of the AI chatbot, shared his commitment to the mission on X (formerly Twitter).
The move follows Altman’s dismissal by OpenAI’s board last Friday, prompting notable departures from the company and a reported push by major investors to reinstate him. Despite pressure from Microsoft and other investors, the board upheld its decision, emphasizing it as essential to advance and defend OpenAI’s mission.
In response to Altman’s removal, the board appointed Emmett Shear, former CEO of Amazon’s Twitch streaming service, as interim CEO. The board expressed concerns about Altman underestimating the dangers of OpenAI’s technology and diverting from its mission, leading to the decision to remove him.
OpenAI investors, including Microsoft, reportedly sought to reinstate Altman as CEO, with Microsoft having invested over $10 billion in OpenAI and incorporating its technology into its products. Generative AI platforms like ChatGPT, which answer questions in human-like language and manipulate imagery, have raised concerns about potential misuse, such as deepfake images and harmful disinformation.
Ilya Sutskever, co-founder of OpenAI and a respected AI expert, raised concerns about the company’s business direction and technology threats. Sutskever reportedly informed OpenAI staff that Altman would not return, according to Bloomberg.
