The Sudden Departure of Sam Altman from OpenAI: An Insider’s Perspective
On November 17th, 2023, the tech world was taken aback when Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, was unexpectedly ousted from the board. Altman, known for his leadership in the successful launch of ChatGPT, found himself at the center of controversy. Helen Toner, a former board member, sheds light on the events leading up to Altman’s departure in an interview on The TED AI Show podcast.
According to Toner, the board’s decision to remove Altman stemmed from a lack of trust in his leadership. When the board sought to bring in a new CEO, they felt that Altman would resist any changes that went against his interests. Toner highlighted Altman’s failure to disclose his ownership of the OpenAI Startup Fund and his provision of inaccurate information about the company’s security practices as key factors eroding trust.
Additionally, Toner revealed that Altman targeted her personally after she published a research paper that displeased him. Allegations of psychological abuse, manipulation, and dishonesty surfaced as two executives shared their negative experiences with Altman, prompting the board to take action.
The lack of oversight within OpenAI became apparent with the launch of ChatGPT, which caught the board by surprise. Toner emphasized that the board was not adequately informed about the development, learning about it through social media rather than official channels.
Following Altman’s removal, OpenAI underwent a period of instability with interim CEOs and conflicting opinions about Altman’s reinstatement. Despite internal resistance, including support from Microsoft, Toner outlined three reasons why the push to bring Altman back was strong. Employees felt they had limited options, feared retaliation from Altman, and considered his past track record in decision-making.
In response to Toner’s claims, current OpenAI board chair Bret Taylor emphasized the board’s commitment to moving forward. An independent review found that Altman’s dismissal was not related to product safety, development pace, financial concerns, or communication with stakeholders. The majority of staff supported Altman’s reinstatement, signaling a desire to refocus on OpenAI’s mission of advancing artificial general intelligence for the benefit of humanity.