Why Was Sam Altman Fired?
Could he be this year's SBF?
Sam Altman was just fired as the CEO of OpenAI, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit that governs OpenAI, the AI startup behind exciting AI platforms like ChatGPT, DALL-E 3, and GPT-4. He was removed from both his CEO position and the Company's board. So why was he fired? Did he deserve to be fired?
OpenAI’s board includes chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, independent directors Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo, technology entrepreneur Tasha McCauley, and Helen Toner of the Georgetown Center for Security and Emerging Technology.
This leadership change also saw Greg Brockman, a OpenAI’s other co-founder step down as chairman of the board but remain as OpenAI's president. Mira Murati, previously the CTO, has been appointed as the interim CEO. The Board expressed its commitment to OpenAI's mission and the need for new leadership as the organization moves forward.
Altman’s firing was so surprising in large part because mere days ago Altman was announcing new capabilities for its AI platforms such as ChatGPT, and that its platforms would not only be better, but also cheaper. This suggests that OpenAI under Altman was indeed heading toward AGI as intended. Altman was still floating on his recent Dev-Day developer’s conference where he “guaranteed” all enterprise users of OpenAI products that OpenAI would indemnify them for any copyright violations. Indeed he seemed to be at the top of his OpenAI game.
So was firing one of the founders really to bring OpenAI back into alignment with its original purpose? Or were there darker motives?
One reason might be that Microsoft is flexing its $10 billion muscle. Microsoft apparently invested $10 billion into OpenAI, to be paid out over a period of years. And in return Microsoft will reportedly get 75% of OpenAI’s profit to secure its new 49% ownership in the Company. The Board might have been catering to the wishes of Microsoft.
Another reason might be the “Bro Culture” that still exists in Silicon Valley. “Bro Culture” is that workplace toxicity that makes women feel underappreciated and over-objectified. It seems to be a club that not only largely excludes women, but also stifles diversity. Of course Bro Culture has existed since the beginning of time. With all of the strides society has made over the past 100 years, Silicon Valley seems to have missed the bus, still mired in Bro Culture. With 2 women on the Board that fired Altman, and a woman of color being placed in the role of interim CEO, maybe this can’t be explained by “Bro Culture.”
Or is there a darker reason? OpenAI said on its website that this decision was deliberative. And that Altman was not being “consistently candid in his communications with the Board, hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities.” Essentially the Board is saying it no longer has confidence in him. Could Altman be the next SBF? SBF made much of his cryptocurrency FTX. He boasted about his personal wealth--which was immense. However it was at the expense of FTX. The foundation of his FTX success crumbled in mere days as he was first arrested, and then convicted of wire fraud and conspiracy. Maybe Altman will turn out to be this year's SBF?
Perhaps there is a much simpler explanation. Maybe he was he just too creative and independent to be held down by the Board’s restrictions. Until more information surfaces and the dust settles, all we can do is speculate.