Sam Altman, CEO of ChatGPT-maker OpenAI, ousted by company board

Sam Altman. Pic/AFP

In a surprising move, Sam Altman, CEO and co-founder of OpenAI, the organisation behind ChatGPT, has left the artificial intelligence company and resigned from its board with immediate effect. This unexpected departure has sent shock waves through the technology industry, The Washington Post reported on Friday (local time).

The company revealed in a blog post on Friday that OpenAI's board no longer has confidence in Altman's ability to lead the organisation.

The post said that Altman's departure came after "a deliberative review process by the board, which concluded that he was not consistently candid in his communications with the board, hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities."

Now, Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati will step in as interim CEO, and a search is underway to find a permanent successor, according to The Washington Post.

"I loved my time at OpenAI. It was transformative for me personally, and hopefully for the world a little bit. Most of all I loved working with such talented people. Will have more to say about what's next later," posted Altman on X.

Altman's departure is surprising given his role as a prominent figure in the AI revolution and a key influencer in shaping the industry. Since the introduction of ChatGPT, major tech companies have strived to compete with OpenAI, and world leaders have sought Altman's insights and investments.

According to The Washington Post, in Silicon Valley, Altman was recognised as a savvy investor and supporter of smaller companies. The rise of OpenAI elevated him to the status of tech titans such as Elon Musk, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, and even the late Apple CEO Steve Jobs. Just last week, Altman presented OpenAI's new roadmap to enthusiastic developers at the company's inaugural conference.

The blog post also announced that Greg Brockman, another co-founder of OpenAI, would step down as the chair of the company's board but remain with the organisation.

Originally established as a non-profit in 2015, OpenAI aimed to prevent advanced AI from falling into the hands of monopolistic corporations. However, after receiving a significant investment from Microsoft in 2019, the company transitioned to a for-profit structure. OpenAI continues to assert its commitment to building AI for the benefit of humanity, but recent developments suggest a more conventional business approach.

In May, the company initiated a hiring spree, attracting executives from Meta, Apple, and Amazon Web Services. Altman's global engagements with world leaders and developers, coupled with the company's expansion in San Francisco, underscore a shift in OpenAI's trajectory from its original nonprofit mission, The Washington Post reported.

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