Nearly all OpenAI staff threaten to go to Microsoft unless board quits, as investors try to bring back Altman
- More than 700 of the AI start-up’s roughly 770 employees signed a letter, calling for all board members to resign and for Altman to be reinstated
- OpenAI’s investors are still trying to return Altman to the firm, and Microsoft has signalled that it would not oppose such an outcome
Nearly all of OpenAI’s employees have threatened to quit and follow ousted leader Sam Altman to work at the company’s biggest investor, Microsoft, unless the current board resigns, leaving the future of the high-profile artificial intelligence (AI) start-up increasingly uncertain.
More than 700 of OpenAI’s roughly 770 employees signed a letter on Monday addressed to the company's board, stating that the signatories are “unable to work for or with people that lack competence, judgment and care for our mission and employees”.
The letter called for every member of the board to resign and for Altman to be reinstated, or else employees might jump to Microsoft. The software giant “has assured us there are positions for all OpenAI employees”, the letter said.
OpenAI’s investors are still trying to return Altman to a leadership role at the ChatGPT maker, and Microsoft has signalled that it would not oppose such an outcome.
Thrive Capital, Khosla Ventures and Tiger Global Management are looking to protect their investment after the OpenAI board forced out Altman on Friday, according to people familiar with the matter. Altman is eager to return, said the people, who requested anonymity to discuss confidential negotiations.
Microsoft chief executive officer Satya Nadella and other investors spent Saturday and Sunday trying to get Altman and former OpenAI president Greg Brockman rehired. On Sunday night, OpenAI interim CEO Mira Murati told a board member she planned to bring them back, but the directors decided instead to name former Twitch chief Emmett Shear as CEO, bypassing Murati and the investors.
