In a significant development, OpenAI has announced the departure of Sam Altman as CEO. Altman, who co-founded OpenAI in 2015, will be stepping down from his position and leaving the board of directors. Mira Murati, OpenAI’s Chief Technology Officer, will assume the role of interim CEO, effective immediately. Murati, a pivotal member of OpenAI’s leadership team for the past five years, has played a crucial role in the organization’s evolution into a global leader in AI. Her extensive experience, deep understanding of OpenAI’s values, operations, and business, coupled with her leadership in research, product development, and safety functions, positions her as a highly qualified individual to lead OpenAI during this transitional phase.
Altman’s departure follows a deliberative review process by the board, which concluded that his communication with the board lacked consistency, hindering the board’s ability to exercise its responsibilities. Consequently, the board no longer has confidence in Mr. Altman’s ability to continue leading OpenAI. The board of directors emphasizes its unwavering commitment to OpenAI’s mission – to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity. In a statement, the board expresses gratitude for Sam Altman’s contributions to the founding and growth of OpenAI while underlining the necessity of new leadership for the organization’s future endeavors. Altman said in a statement on X “I loved my time at openai. It was transformative for me personally, and hopefully the world a little bit. Most of all I loved working with such talented people. I will have more to say about what’s next later.”
As the restructuring unfolds, OpenAI’s board of directors includes key figures such as OpenAI Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever, independent directors Adam D’Angelo (CEO of Quora), Tasha McCauley (technology entrepreneur), and Helen Toner (Georgetown Center for Security and Emerging Technology). Additionally, Greg Brockman will step down as chairman of the board as part of this transition, continuing in his role at the company and reporting to the CEO. “I’m super proud of what we’ve all built together since starting in my apartment 8 years ago,” Greg Brockman wrote in a statement shared on X. “We’ve been through tough & great times together, accomplishing so much despite all the reasons it should have been impossible. But based on today’s news, I quit.” “Genuinely wishing you all nothing but the best. I continue to believe in the mission of creating safe AGI that benefits all of humanity,” he added.
OpenAI, initially founded as a non-profit in 2015 with a core mission to ensure the benefits of artificial general intelligence for all of humanity, underwent restructuring in 2019. This strategic move allowed the organization to raise capital while preserving its nonprofit mission, governance, and oversight. Despite experiencing substantial growth, the board reiterates that its fundamental governance responsibility is to advance OpenAI’s mission and uphold the principles outlined in its Charter.
The board has initiated a formal search for a permanent CEO to lead OpenAI into its next chapter.
