Just a few hours ago, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella posted word that former OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, along with a number of other former team members of the company that developed ChatGPT, would join Microsoft to form a new advanced AI team.
Now, in just the latest twist in an already twisty turn of events, a new report claims that Altman still wants to return to the company that fired him Friday as its CEO.
According to The Verge, citing unnamed sources, Altman is willing to consider returning to OpenAI as its leader, if the remaining board members that unceremoniously ejected him from the company a few days ago would depart their positions.
Altman just posted a somewhat cryptic message on X (formerly Twitter) which stated, in part, "we are all going to work together some way or other," The Verge reports that might be a hint that efforts to return him to OpenAI are still, well, open.
we have more unity and commitment and focus than ever before.
— Sam Altman (@sama) November 20, 2023
we are all going to work together some way or other, and i’m so excited.
one team, one mission.
The same report claims that Altman, OpenAI"s former President Greg Brockman, and the company"s many investors are "all trying to find a graceful exit for the board". It also claims that Nadella"s announcement of Altman joining Microsoft is in a "holding pattern.”
A more recent X post from Altman stated that the top priority for Nadella and himself "remains to ensure openai continues to thrive" and added, "we are committed to fully providing continuity of operations to our partners and customers. the openai/microsoft partnership makes this very doable."
Earlier today, a letter to OpenAI"s board of directors, signed by the majority of the company"s employees, asked for the board to depart, and put Altman back in as CEO, or risk having all of those team members leave to go to Microsoft. Those employees claimed that the conduct of the board members "has made it clear you did not have the competence to oversee OpenAI."