In a surprising turn of events, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced on X that the company is bringing on board OpenAI’s recently ousted CEO, Sam Altman, and former board president, Greg Brockman, to spearhead a new advanced AI research team within Microsoft.
This development unfolded following Altman’s dismissal by OpenAI’s board of directors, with Brockman resigning shortly thereafter. The duo, who co-founded OpenAI in 2015, is now set to lead a groundbreaking initiative at Microsoft.
Altman, undeterred by his recent departure, promptly declared, “The mission continues,” moments after Nadella’s revelation. This rapid rehiring marks an unprecedented event in employment history, particularly for someone recently terminated.
The mission Altman refers to is likely OpenAI’s overarching goal “to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity.” Microsoft’s substantial investment of over $13 billion in OpenAI, the progenitor of ChatGPT, grants the tech giant significant influence, especially with a considerable portion directed towards cloud computing.
Sources indicate that Nadella, upon learning of Altman’s removal, was displeased and reportedly ‘furious.’ Allegedly caught off guard, Nadella received a warning only minutes before the public announcement.
This development contradicts earlier reports suggesting that Ilya Sutskever informed OpenAI staff that the board had no plans to rehire Altman or Brockman. The Altman-OpenAI saga appears to be evolving rapidly, with breaking news emerging almost hourly.
Responding to Nadella’s announcement, Elon Musk, owner of X, humorously commented, “Now they will have to use Teams!” Musk’s quip alludes to Altman being informed of his termination via a Google Meet call, a competitor to Microsoft Teams.
Altman’s trajectory has swiftly shifted from losing his position as CEO to being appointed CEO of a new division at Microsoft, as announced by Nadella. Expressing enthusiasm, Nadella stated, “I’m super excited to have you join as CEO of this new group, Sam, setting a new pace for innovation.” Nadella emphasized Microsoft’s track record of allowing founders and innovators to cultivate independent identities and cultures within the company.
In a playful exchange, Musk replied, “Wild times. Satya ftw (for the win).”
Nadella conveyed confidence in Microsoft’s ongoing partnership with OpenAI while expressing anticipation for collaboration with Emmett Shear and OpenAI’s new leadership team. Shear, now the interim CEO of OpenAI, echoed this sentiment, affirming that the partnership remains robust and that customer service is a top priority.
Amidst earlier speculations that Altman might be regrouping for a new startup with backing from venture capitalists, his decision to join Microsoft puts such rumors to rest, at least for the time being.
