Following his recent departure as OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman has officially joined Microsoft, as revealed by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella in a tweet on Monday. Nadella expressed Microsoft's unwavering commitment to its collaboration with OpenAI, emphasising confidence in its product roadmap and the ability to sustain innovation, as previously unveiled at Microsoft Ignite.
Additionally, Nadella anticipates collaboration with the new interim OpenAI CEO Emmett Shear and the firm's new leadership team. Notably, the announcement includes the exciting news that Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, alongside their colleagues, will spearhead a novel advanced AI research team at Microsoft. Nadella affirmed the company's eagerness to swiftly provide the necessary resources for the success of this venture.
Here's what Nadella tweeted:
You can check out Nadella's complete keynote address at the Ignite conference below:
What's Next For OpenAI
After being ousted from the company over the weekend, Altman declined a return to his position as the CEO of OpenAI, despite the company's executives making concerted efforts to convince him otherwise, as per recent media reports. Emmett Shear, co-founder of the popular video streaming platform Twitch, is poised to step into the role of interim CEO, a revelation purportedly disclosed by Ilya Sutskever, co-founder and board director.
This unexpected shift in leadership is notable, given Altman's significant stature as a leading figure in generative AI and his pivotal role in guiding OpenAI through its transformation from a nonprofit organisation to a commercially viable entity. Some reports suggest that Altman's departure stems from perceived issues of transparency in his communications.
Allegedly, clashes with board members arose over concerns about the pace of his initiatives, particularly regarding the safety implications of a technology that, if unregulated, could produce content with potential harm to the public.
Over the weekend, Brad Lightcap, OpenAI's Chief Operating Officer, asserted that safety concerns were not the primary factor behind Altman's dismissal, attributing the decision to a "breakdown in communications."
In the wake of these developments, reports have emerged indicating that Mira Murati, the interim Chief Executive Officer, is contemplating the reinstatement of Altman and former President Greg Brockman, though specific roles are yet to be finalised.