Following a weekend of discussions aimed at reinstating Sam Altman as OpenAI’s CEO after his sudden dismissal, the nonprofit board has opted for a different path. Instead, they have appointed former Twitch CEO Emmett Shear as the interim CEO, taking over from Mira Murati, who had publicly aligned with Altman. This move marks the third change in leadership in as many days.
The decision to bring in Shear seems to signal the end of Altman’s potential return. Altman was dismissed on Friday, with the board citing a lack of consistent transparency in his communications. Over the weekend, discussions about his reinstatement gained momentum due to pressure from investors and the looming threat of a mass employee walkout.
Reports suggest that, on Saturday night, the remaining board members missed a 5 PM PT deadline to resign and reinstate Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman. Failing to meet this deadline led to a wave of staff expressions of support for Altman on social media. Altman himself returned to OpenAI’s office, indicating that it would be his “first and last time” wearing a guest badge, suggesting he would either come back as CEO or not return at all. After extensive negotiations, it appears the latter option has prevailed.
OpenAI’s prominence has surged, particularly with the success of ChatGPT, which quickly became one of the fastest-growing services and sparked a widespread interest in generative AI. Recent reports suggest the company’s valuation has reached $80 to $90 billion, underlining its significant impact on the tech industry. Altman had previously highlighted that ChatGPT boasts over 100 million weekly users.
