San Francisco, CA — November 18, 2023 — OpenAI, a leading artificial intelligence company, today announced significant changes to its leadership team. The former CEO, Sam Altman, has been replaced by Mira Murati, the current Chief Technology Officer. This transition follows a thorough review process that revealed Altman’s shortcomings in communication, leading to a decision by the board of directors to make a change at the helm.
Table of Contents: OpenAI
Board’s Decision: A Change in Leadership
The board’s deliberative review process highlighted Altman’s lack of consistent communication, hindering the effective functioning of the board and its ability to fulfill its responsibilities. In response to these findings, the board decided to part ways with Altman, signaling a need for a leadership change to steer OpenAI toward its future goals.
Mira Murati: A Capable Leader
Replacing Altman is Mira Murati, who has been serving as the company’s Chief Technology Officer. The board of directors, including independent members such as Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo, expressed confidence in Murati’s ability to lead the company through this transition. Murati’s unique skill set, understanding of OpenAI’s values, operations, and business, along with her experience in leading the company’s research, product, and safety functions, make her a natural choice for the interim CEO role.
The board noted, “Mira has played a critical role in OpenAI’s evolution into a global AI leader. Given her long tenure and close engagement with all aspects of the company, including her experience in AI governance and policy, the board believes she is uniquely qualified for the role.”
Seamless Transition and Search for Permanent CEO
As the board conducts a formal search for a permanent CEO, Mira Murati will assume the role of interim CEO, ensuring a seamless transition. The company remains committed to finding a leader who aligns with OpenAI’s mission and values while steering the company toward continued success.
Greg Brockman’s Departure
In tandem with these changes, Greg Brockman, co-founder, and President of OpenAI, has announced his departure from the company. This decision follows the removal of CEO Sam Altman and underscores the magnitude of the shifts occurring within OpenAI’s leadership.
Brockman stated, “I’m super proud of what we’ve all built together since starting in my apartment 8 years ago.” He expressed gratitude to the incredible people he worked with but made it clear that he is resigning in response to the recent changes at the top.
Industry Perspectives and Future Outlook
Despite these significant leadership changes, industry analysts, including Wedbush analyst Dan Ives, believe that OpenAI’s momentum is unlikely to be significantly affected. OpenAI, originally established as a nonprofit in 2015, transitioned to a for-profit structure after a substantial investment from Microsoft in 2019. The company has since attracted top talent from major tech players and recently unveiled its most powerful language model, GPT-4 Turbo.
OpenAI is optimistic about the future under the interim leadership of Mira Murati and is confident in her ability to guide the company through this period of transition.
About OpenAI
OpenAI is a leading artificial intelligence research laboratory consisting of the for-profit Open AI LP and its non-profit parent company, Open AI Inc. Founded with the mission of ensuring that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity, Open AI continues to push the boundaries of AI research and development.