Sam Altman Makes Surprise Return to OpenAI After Swift Ouster as CEO

Sam Altman returned to OpenAI HQ and could be reinstated as CEO soon.
May 21, 2024
Sam Altman the day before being ousted as OpenAI CEO.
‍JUSTIN SULLIVAN/GETTY IMAGES

Former OpenAI CEO Sam Altman made an unexpected return to the artificial intelligence lab's headquarters this weekend, just days after the company's board abruptly fired him from the top role. Altman even posted a photo of himself on social media platform X wearing a guest badge at the office.

His quick return and lighthearted social media post signal that efforts are underway behind the scenes to potentially reinstate Altman as CEO shortly. He still has strong support among key investors and partners like Microsoft.

The board dismissed Altman on Friday with little explanation, taking even top leaders at OpenAI by surprise. But investors raced over the weekend to fight the decision and pave the way for Altman’s reinstatement.

Still, Altman’s return raises lingering questions around why the board removed him in the first place. Tesla CEO Elon Musk, an AI thought leader who co-founded OpenAI in 2015, said on social media that the “public should be informed” about the reasons behind Altman’s firing given the power advanced AI holds.

Musk and other industry experts suspect there are still major details the public doesn't know that likely prompted the board’s decision. The board only offered vague reasoning when it announced Altman's departure Friday.

If Altman resumes the CEO role, some argue he shouldn’t be given complete autonomy to run OpenAI however he chooses. Tech reporter Eric Newcomer contends Altman has a history of rocky corporate relationships, including a falling out years ago with Musk himself, an OpenAI co-founder.

Tensions apparently arose between Altman and current OpenAI board member Ilya Sutskever. Sutskever, the chief scientist at the lab, was the one who told Altman he was being let go. Sutskever was recruited to OpenAI by Musk back when the organization started.

The existing board that fired Altman agreed to step aside and let new directors be vetted and approved. Among candidates to potentially join is Bret Taylor, former Salesforce co-CEO. Microsoft could also seek a formal board seat at OpenAI for the first time.

Microsoft's backing has been crucial for OpenAI’s operations and research. The tech giant has committed billions in funding and computing resources. Without that ongoing support, it’s uncertain if OpenAI could continue functioning at its current scale. So Microsoft holds important influence regardless of its board representation.

The weekend’s messy leadership turmoil has left many more questions than answers about OpenAI's direction and decision-making process as it charge ahead in the high-stakes world of artificial intelligence development.

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