Breaking news OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is leaving to join Microsoft.

After a bustling week filled with activity, Microsoft is excited to announce that they are appointing Sam Altman to lead a new advanced artificial intelligence research team. This decision comes as OpenAI has turned to Emmett Shear to lead the organization.

The news comes at a time when OpenAI’s creator, OpenAI, contemplated bringing back Altman before making a decision on the former CEO and Twitch’s ex-CEO. The Wall Street Journal reported that discussions between OpenAI and Altman failed due to the insistence of the former CEO on the current board resigning.

Microsoft’s stock shares saw a 2% increase in pre-market trading, recovering from a 1.7% dip on Friday when news broke that OpenAI was parting ways with Altman. The stock has seen a 54% increase this year, driven by enthusiasm for AI, which Microsoft has incorporated into many of its products.

Microsoft will now have effective competition in the field of AI, having invested nearly $10 billion in OpenAI, while Altman’s group is now financially supported. Microsoft is also bringing in Greg Brockman, who resigned as OpenAI’s chairman after Altman’s dismissal on Friday.

Satya Nadella, Microsoft’s Chairman and CEO, stated, ‘We are committed to our partnership with OpenAI, and we have confidence in our ability to continue innovating with our product roadmap, keeping our capacity for innovation alive with every announcement at Microsoft Ignite, and maintaining our ability to support our customers and partners.’ in a statement.

Nadella mentioned that Altman, Brockman, and ‘collaborators’ would be part of the in-house AI team.

Altman continued to post throughout the week, contemplating the possibility of OpenAI taking legal action against him for his shares – of which he had none for non-profit purposes – while also sharing a picture of the date he was using for inspiration.

Brockman also took to social media, using three more handles to indicate that they were coming.

After a week of colorful heart emojis in a post, Meera Murthy, interim CEO of OpenAI, used a heart emoji to quote a post.

Why was Sam Altman fired from the OpenAI job?

In November 2023, the sudden dismissal of Sam Altman from the CEO position at OpenAI sent shockwaves through the AI community. The company’s official statement attributed Altman’s departure to a lack of transparency in his communication with the board. However, behind this official clarification, tensions and disagreements were brewing within OpenAI.

OpenAI’s Mission Perspectives: OpenAI was founded with an ambitious goal – to ensure that artificial general intelligence (AGI) benefits all of humanity. However, as the company matured, a growing divide emerged between those prioritizing open access to AI research and those leaning towards a more business-oriented perspective.

Altman, a staunch believer in open collaboration, supported releasing OpenAI’s research findings and software tools for the benefit of the public. He believed that openness would accelerate AI development and ensure widespread sharing of the benefits of AGI.

In contrast, under the leadership of Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever, a group within OpenAI expressed concerns about potential risks associated with unrestricted AI access. Sutskever advocated for stricter security measures and greater control over the proliferation of AI technology.

Clash Between Altman and Sutskever: As these divergent viewpoints clashed, tensions escalated between Altman and Sutskever. Altman’s pressure for open collaboration and his desire to align with external partners like Microsoft intensified the rift.

In July 2023, Sutskever established a new team within OpenAI dedicated to addressing security concerns around “superintelligent” AI systems. Many viewed this move as a direct challenge to Altman’s leadership and the company’s direction.

The Final Straw: A Breakdown in Communication: In October 2023, Altman allegedly made a decision that proved to be the last straw for the OpenAI board. He proposed a reduction in Sutskever’s role within the company, a move vehemently opposed by Sutskever.

This event further strained relations between Altman and the board, leading to a series of discussions about Altman’s leadership and the company’s direction. Eventually, the board concluded that Altman’s communication with them had become “consistently unclear,” hindering their ability to effectively gauge the company’s direction.

In a swift and unexpected move, the OpenAI board decided to remove Altman from the CEO position. This announcement, coming just days after Altman proposed changes to Sutskever’s role, left the AI community stunned and numerous questions unanswered.

While the official clarification hinted at communication issues, it’s clear that the underlying tension between Altman and Sutskever played a crucial role in Altman’s dismissal. The events surrounding Altman’s departure shed light on the delicate balance between open collaboration and security concerns in the development of AI. As AI continues to advance and its impact on society grows, navigating these challenges will remain a critical task for AI researchers and organizations like OpenAI.