In recent discussions on CNBC and Bloomberg TV, CEO at Microsoft Satya Nadella hinted that former OpenAI CEO, Sam Altman, might potentially re-engage at OpenAI regardless of his recent severance from the firm by its board of directors. Previous speculations were that Altman had plans to collaborate with a fresh AI research group at Microsoft, a team inclusive of Greg Brockman, the former president at OpenAI, and multiple ex-researchers from OpenAI.
Nadella stated in contracts to CNBC, “Obviously, we want Sam and Greg to have a fantastic home if they’re not going to be in OpenAI,” When enquired if Altman could return to his role at OpenAI, Nadella responded by leaving it to the discretion of the board of directors at OpenAI to decide.“That’s for, you know, [the] OpenAI board and management and the employees to choose … [Microsoft] chose to explicitly partner with OpenAI [and] obviously that depends on the people at OpenAI staying there or coming to Microsoft, so I’m open to both options.”
Nadella’s statements seem to endorse the early news reported from The Verge. The reports indicate that the plans of Altman shifting to Microsoft are yet to be decided and with the latest change in the standpoint from Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI chief scientist and reputed orchestrator behind Altman’s exit, it would only require a shift in decision from two of the three remaining board members at OpenAI to have Altman reinstated. (On Friday, Brockman was dethroned from the chairman's position at the board, and Altman previously held the sixth seat.)
Furthermore, Nadella pointed out that Microsoft would push for reforms in the governance at OpenAI, including in its relations with investors. Reports suggest OpenAI’s dismissal of Altman was informed to its backers, which include Microsoft, along with the majority of OpenAI’s employees just prior to the public announcement.
As of now, OpenAI operates by the rules of a nonprofit where the board belongs and its investors, inclusive of Microsoft which has already invested more than 10 billion USD into OpenAI to this date, don’t hold any seats on the board. “There is a clear requirement for a shift in the governance — and we would have a productive dialogue with their board about this, and walk them through this process as it evolves,” Nadella concluded on CNBC.
