OpenAI's co-founder and president, Greg Brockman, has announced his resignation from the company on Friday, shortly after the unexpected firing of its CEO, Sam Altman, as reported first by TechCrunch.
The departure of Brockman adds another layer of uncertainty to OpenAI's future, coinciding with its inaugural developer conference, which Altman led.
OpenAI Co-founder/Chairman & CTO Greg Brockman speaks onstage during TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco 2019 at Moscone Convention Center on October 03, 2019 in San Francisco, California.Steve Jennings/Getty Images for TechCrunch)
Brockman Quits OpenAI
Brockman took to X (formerly Twitter) to reveal the sequence of events that led to Altman's abrupt exit. According to Brockman, Ilya Sutskever, Chief Scientist at OpenAI, informed Altman about a crucial call scheduled for Friday noon, where Altman was informed of his termination by Sutskever and other board members.
The news surfaced after the management team was made aware, with Mira Murati stepping in as interim CEO.
Initially, OpenAI had announced Brockman's step down as the chairman of the board while retaining his position within the company. However, Brockman, the co-founder of OpenAI, decided to resign, citing a misalignment with the board's direction and expressing his sadness over the turn of events.
OpenAI and Microsoft, a major shareholder in the company, have chosen to remain discreet about the factors leading to Altman's removal.
The exit of Altman, with his prominent public presence and OpenAI's crucial standing in today's AI landscape, has reverberated throughout Silicon Valley, causing ripples of surprise and speculation.
Brockman's expressed his pride in the collective achievements of the company over the past eight years but deemed it necessary to step away given the day's developments. He reiterated his belief in OpenAI's mission of creating safe Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) for the benefit of humanity.
"I'm super proud of what we've all built together since starting in my apartment 8 years ago. We've ben through tough & great times together, accomplishing so much despite all the reasons it should have been impossible," Brockman said in a statement.
OpenAI's announcement of Altman's departure highlighted a loss of confidence from the board. A "deliberative review process" revealed Altman's alleged inconsistency in communication, hindering the board's ability to fulfill its responsibilities.
"We are grateful for Sam's many contributions to the founding and growth of OpenAI. At the same time, we believe new leadership is necessary as we move forward. As the leader of the company's research, product, and safety functions, Mira is exceptionally qualified to step into the role of interim CEO. We have the utmost confidence in her ability to lead OpenAI during this transition period," OpenAI's Board of Directors said in a blog post.
The sudden leadership changes at OpenAI have raised questions about the company's future direction and its impact on the broader AI community. The departure of key figures adds an air of uncertainty, leaving observers eager for further explanations and insights into the unfolding developments at OpenAI.
