The company, in an official statement, revealed that an internal investigation uncovered instances where Altman was not consistently truthful in his communications with the board. The statement reads, "Mr. Altman’s departure follows 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. The board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI."
To fill the leadership vacuum, Mira Murati, the current Chief Technology Officer, has been appointed as the interim CEO until a permanent successor is selected.
Altman, in a tweet responding to the news, expressed his affection for the time spent at OpenAI. He stated, "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. Will have more to say about what’s next later."
This development comes on the heels of OpenAI's inaugural developer conference in San Francisco, where Altman played a central role as the master of ceremonies, unveiling a series of new artificial intelligence tool updates. During the conference, Altman disclosed that approximately 2 million developers are currently using the platform, with around 90% of Fortune 500 companies internally employing OpenAI's tools. The flagship product, ChatGPT, has amassed 100 million active users.
Altman's abrupt exit has surprised many within the AI industry, particularly considering his pivotal role in OpenAI's recent advancements. It occurs at a time when ethical considerations in AI development are under heightened scrutiny. Altman, despite being a longstanding advocate for AI, has also been one of its staunchest critics, drawing attention to the potential risks associated with its rapid development.
The industry now eagerly anticipates how OpenAI will navigate this leadership transition and address the challenges and expectations from regulators and society. Altman's departure could also have broader implications for discussions surrounding AI regulation, given his prominent role in advocating for responsible AI practices.
For now, Mira Murati, born and raised in Albania, brings her engineering background and experience as OpenAI's Chief Technology Officer since 2018 to the role of interim CEO. Analysts, insiders, and tech executives alike are closely watching how OpenAI's next generation of leaders will steer the company, balancing fast-paced innovation with meeting regulatory and societal expectations.
The news of Altman's exit has not only surprised AI insiders but has also prompted reflections from industry leaders. Microsoft, a major investor in OpenAI, expressed its commitment to Mira and the team, despite a 1.6% dip in its stock price on the day of the announcement. Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt called Altman "a hero" and expressed anticipation for Altman's future endeavors.
Reece Hayden, an analyst at ABI Research, noted that this development could be a significant factor in discussions advocating for AI regulation. Altman's departure, Hayden suggests, might signal a shift towards a more self-regulatory approach by OpenAI.
This story has been updated with additional information.
