Don’t mess with Microsoft.
OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman is to return as CEO of the company, mere days after his chaotic firing by a board that seems to have lost all support. A deal has been reached « in principle » for his return that will see new board members appointed, and the agreement comes shortly after Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella had essentially checkmated OpenAI by offering Altman a job and guaranteeing the role and salary of any OpenAI staff that wished to join him.
This is tech politics at the highest level where, as Bob Dylan would put it, money doesn’t talk: it swears. Microsoft has a $13 billion investment in OpenAI and is integrating the company’s machine learning tools into its own crown jewels of office and productivity software. Ever since the announcement of Altman’s firing on Friday last week, Satya Nadella has been publicly vocal about Altman remaining involved, and obviously has the power to make things happen. OpenAI’s climbdown is a total capitulation and raises even more questions about why Altman was so unceremoniously ousted in the first place.
« We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam Altman to return to OpenAI as CEO with a new initial board of Bret Taylor (Chair), Larry Summers, and Adam D’Angelo, » reads OpenAI’s statement. « We are collaborating to figure out the details. Thank you so much for your patience through this. »
At which point, presumably, Nadella put the safety back on the revolver.
