News
The Gist
- Leadership changes at OpenAI and Microsoft. OpenAI underwent a rapid succession of leadership changes, culminating in the dismissal of CEO Sam Altman and several executive resignations, including co-founder Greg Brockman. Concurrently, Microsoft hired Altman and Brockman to lead a new advanced AI research team, reaffirming its commitment to AI innovation and its partnership with OpenAI.
- Impact on AI development and partnerships. Despite the dramatic executive reshuffling at both OpenAI and Microsoft, there have been no immediate changes to the technology side of their AI initiatives. This includes the development and application of AI tools like ChatGPT. However, these major personnel changes at both companies could potentially influence future AI development directions and the dynamics of their partnership.
- New leadership at OpenAI — again. Emmett Shear, former CEO of Twitch, has been appointed as OpenAI's interim CEO following a brief tenure of Mira Murati as interim CEO. This rapid change in leadership at OpenAI signals a potentially new direction for the organization, with the board actively seeking a permanent CEO. Meanwhile, Altman and Brockman's move to Microsoft indicates a continued focus on AI research and innovation.
Editor's note: Update: OpenAI board rehires Sam Altman Nov. 22.
OpenAI's executive loss is Microsoft's gain.
The 60-hour whirlwind news cycle that began Friday, Nov. 17, with OpenAI's board firing CEO Sam Altman, replacing him with its CTO then replacing her with someone else — all while co-founder and President Greg Brockman, other executives and dozens of others quit OpenAI — ended with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announcing he's hired Altman and Brockman to lead a new advanced AI research team. Altman will join as CEO.
At least we think that's the end of the news cycle.
And here’s another wild twist coming into the mix Monday morning: More than 500 of OpenAI’s approximately 700 employees signed a letter calling for the OpenAI board to resign and Altman to be reinstated. It’s possible they released that letter without knowledge of the Nadella’s post on X hiring Altman in the early-morning hours of Monday. Would Altman’s hiring at Microsoft change the minds of those 505 employees?
Here's the full letter, as reported on X by journalist Kara Swisher, who spoke at CMSWire's virtual DX Summit.
Microsoft and OpenAI are already linked by Microsoft's $10 billion investment earlier this year and integration of OpenAI's ChatGPT into Bing search.
Nadella posted on X in the wee hours of Monday morning, Nov. 20 — 2:53 a.m. ET to be exact — that Microsoft welcomed Altman and Brockman to the Microsoft AI team.
"We remain committed to our partnership with OpenAI and have confidence in our product roadmap, our ability to continue to innovate with everything we announced at Microsoft Ignite, and in continuing to support our customers and partners," Nadella posted. "We look forward to getting to know Emmett Shear and OAI's new leadership team and working with them. And we’re extremely excited to share the news that Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, together with colleagues, will be joining Microsoft to lead a new advanced AI research team. We look forward to moving quickly to provide them with the resources needed for their success."
We remain committed to our partnership with OpenAI and have confidence in our product roadmap, our ability to continue to innovate with everything we announced at Microsoft Ignite, and in continuing to support our customers and partners. We look forward to getting to know Emmett…
— Satya Nadella (@satyanadella) November 20, 2023
Impact on OpenAI, Microsoft AI Development
What does this whole three-CEOs-in-three days mean for those who want to create marketing content and customer experiences using OpenAI's ChatGPT and other Microsoft AI properties?
Absolutely nothing at the moment. Despite the wild twists and turns since Friday — it almost feels like a new reality show called "Who's Your CEO?," right? — neither OpenAI nor Microsoft have announced any changes on the technology side of artificial intelligence. And that's all that matters to marketing and CX practitioners now.
That doesn't mean it won't change. It will due to these massive shifts in leadership. We now have major personnel changes at each company that could change the trajectory on AI development at two of the major players in OpenAI and Microsoft. And here's the more confusing part — they're partners. How does that executive dynamic work with the fired Altman and the quitting Brockman still within the OpenAI family?
Emmett Shear, former CEO of Twitch, a successful livestreaming video service, takes over as OpenAI's interim CEO. Originally, OpenAI announced Friday that Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati was appointed interim CEO to lead OpenAI, effective immediately. The board said then a search process is underway to identify permanent successor. Turned out to be a quick search.
Related Article: OpenAI Board Fires Sam Altman
Altman and Brockman Post on Microsoft Hire
Altman and Brockman each weighed in on the Microsoft news. Altman simply said, "the mission continues" in a repost of Nadella's tweet welcoming he and Brockman to Microsoft.
the mission continues https://t.co/d1pHiFxcSe
— Sam Altman (@sama) November 20, 2023
Brockman reposted a post on X from Nadella, in which the Microsoft CEO said, "I’m super excited to have you join as CEO of this new group, Sam, setting a new pace for innovation. We’ve learned a lot over the years about how to give founders and innovators space to build independent identities and cultures within Microsoft, including GitHub, Mojang Studios, and LinkedIn, and I’m looking forward to having you do the same."
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In Brockman's repost, he said, "We are going to build something new & it will be incredible. Initial leadership (more soon): @merettm @sidorszymon @aleks_madry @sama @gdb."
Those X profile handles cited by Brockman include Jakub Pachocki (previously director of research at OpenAI), Szymon Sidor (former OpenAI researcher), Aleksander Madry (former head of preparedness at OpenAI) and Altman and Brockman themselves. Brockman and those other three OpenAI executives (along with reports of dozens of others) resigned after the OpenAI board fired Altman.
Meanwhile, Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI's chief scientist, co-founder and one of the members of OpenAI's board that handled Altman's firing, posted on X Monday morning at 8:15 a.m., "I deeply regret my participation in the board's actions. I never intended to harm OpenAI. I love everything we've built together and I will do everything I can to reunite the company."
