OpenAI co-founder forced out of company after losing company board confidence

OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has removed co-founder Sam Altman from the position of chief executive officer, citing a lack of truthfulness in his communications, as well as clashes with the board over the company's direction. The board, after a review, concluded that Altman's actions were hindering its ability to fulfill its responsibilities.

Greg Brockman, OpenAI's president, and another co-founder, expressed shock and sadness at the board's decision and subsequently resigned.

In a post on X, Altman mentioned his love for his time at OpenAI, calling it transformative. He attributed his departure to a power struggle with board members, including chief scientist and co-founder Ilya Sutskever, citing the company's balance between speed and safety. Sutskever has been increasingly concerned about the long-term safety of OpenAI's products.

Mira Murati, OpenAI's chief technology officer, will serve as interim CEO. The unexpected change surprised Microsoft, which has invested $13 billion in the company. Altman's departure follows a week in which he made public appearances discussing the company, marking a sudden turnabout for the key figure in the generative AI field.

OpenAI reassured employees about its partnership with Microsoft during a meeting on Friday. The sudden announcement sent shockwaves through the tech world.