OpenAI Board: Sam Altman Is the 'Right Leader' for Us:

Beleaguered CEO is reinstated to company's board after independent probe into his behavior
By Jenn Gidman,  Newser Staff
Posted Mar 9, 2024 9:00 AM CST
Sam Altman Is Officially Back on OpenAI Board
OpenAI's Sam Altman is seen during the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation CEO Summit on Nov. 16 in San Francisco.   (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)

A "saga that has shocked the artificial intelligence industry" has come full circle. The AP reports that an independent probe commissioned by OpenAI's board has found CEO Sam Altman's conduct "did not mandate removal," effectively reinstating him to its ranks. Based on the investigation conducted by law firm WilmerHale—which required sifting through "more than 30,000 documents" and interviewing "dozens" of board members and employees—the board now says it has "full confidence" in Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman to keep OpenAI on the best path, per a summary of the findings.

"We have unanimously concluded that Sam and Greg are the right leaders for OpenAI," board chief Bret Taylor said, while also announcing three new board members. WilmerHale was recruited to conduct the probe after Altman was abruptly fired by the ChatGPT maker in November, then rehired days later. The Verge notes that the summary offered by OpenAI on Friday is "frustratingly light on details," other than noting that Altman's firing was "a consequence of a breakdown in the relationship and loss of trust between the prior Board and Mr. Altman."

The summary adds that the previous board's move "did not arise out of concerns regarding product safety or security, the pace of development, OpenAI's finances, or its statements to investors, customers, or business partners." Business Insider concurs on the summary's vagueness, noting it's just a few hundred words long and "[offers] very little insight" into what happened behind the scenes.

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In a Friday night post on X, Altman thanked the OpenAI team for "staying focused during a challenging time," adding, cryptically: "When I believed a former board member was harming OpenAI through some of their actions, I should have handled that situation with more grace and care. ... I wish I had done it differently." Two former board members, however, offered what the AP calls a "parting shot." "We hope the new board does its job in governing OpenAI and holding it accountable to the mission," says a joint statement from Helen Toner and Tasha McCauley. "As we told the investigators, deception, manipulation, and resistance to thorough oversight should be unacceptable." (More Sam Altman stories.)

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