In a surprising turn of events, the drama surrounding Sam Altman’s firing as CEO of OpenAI has taken yet another twist. On Sunday night, the board of OpenAI voted in former Twitch CEO Emmett Shear as the interim CEO of OpenAI. This comes after four members of the board, including Altman himself, made the decision to remove Altman from his position. Shear replaces Mira Murati, who had been elevated to interim CEO as the board began their search for a permanent replacement.
The events that unfolded over the past 72 hours have been filled with alliances, power struggles, and conflicting interests. Murati, along with Altman and his supporters, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, allegedly attempted to reinstate Altman as CEO. However, their efforts proved unsuccessful. Shear, known for his recent comments about automating CEO duties with AI, now finds himself leading OpenAI during this tumultuous time.
The reasons behind Altman’s dismissal have not been made explicitly clear by OpenAI’s board. Their statement accuses him of being “not consistently candid in his communications with the board, hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities.” While the board’s lack of confidence in Altman’s leadership is evident, the specific details remain undisclosed.
