Sam Altman to return as OpenAI CEO, alongside new board that includes Larry Summers

By Barbara Kollmeyer

Move comes just days after Altman was ousted

OpenAI has reached an "agreement in principle" for Sam Altman to return to his post as chief executive officer alongside a new board, just days after his ousting, the company said on Wednesday.

In a posting on X, the tech group behind ChatGPT said former Salesforce CEO Bret Taylor will serve as chair, joined on the board by former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and Quora co-founder and CEO and current director Adam D'Angelo.

The company's former President Greg Brockman, who had quit in the wake of Altman's abrupt dismissal, also posted on X that he was back: "Returning to OpenAI & getting back to coding tonight."

Also read: The top responses to Sam Altman's reappointment as CEO of OpenAI, on the platform where the drama played out

The latest twist comes amid news that hundreds of OpenAI staff had been threatening to leave following the drama that began Friday, when the company ousted Altman following a power struggle with the board, sending shock waves through Silicon Valley.

On Monday, Microsoft Corp. (MSFT) CEO Satya Nadella announced that Altman and Brockman, were joining the software giant. That's as former Twitch head Emmett Shear tweeted that he had accepted OpenAI's offer to become the company's interim CEO.

"When i decided to join msft on sun evening, it was clear that was the best path for me and the team. with the new board and w satya's support, i'm looking forward to returning to openai, and building on our strong partnership with msft," Altman said on X, which was reposted by OpenAI.

Altman later posted to X a message saying everything he has done in the past few days was in service of keeping the OpenAI team and its mission together.

Nadella said he was "encouraged by the changes to the OpenAI board. We believe this is a first essential step on a path to more stable, well-informed, and effective governance. Sam, Greg, and I have talked and agreed they have a key role to play along with the OAI leadership team in ensuring OAI continues to thrive and build on its mission," he said in a statement on X.

Microsoft shares edged higher in premarket trade on Wednesday.

Emmett Shear, the former Twitch chief executive who was OpenAI's third CEO in a week, said he was pleased by the move.

-Barbara Kollmeyer

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11-22-23 0748ET

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