Sam Altman reinstated to OpenAI board after investigation
Sam Altman, the CEO of artificial intelligence (AI) company OpenAI, was reinstated to its board of directors following an investigation Friday.
“We have unanimously concluded that Sam and [president of OpenAI Greg Brockman] are the right leaders for OpenAI,” Bret Taylor, chair of the OpenAI board, said in a Friday blog post.
Altman was fired and quickly rehired as CEO of OpenAI and also booted from its board in a notable debacle in November. The company also announced that it would form a new board in the wake of the incident.
In its investigation into the incident, law firm WilmerHale “found that the prior Board’s decision did not arise out of concerns regarding product safety or security, the pace of development, OpenAI’s finances, or its statements to investors, customers, or business partners,” OpenAI said in the blog post.
“Instead, it was a consequence of a breakdown in the relationship and loss of trust between the prior Board and Mr. Altman,” the blog post reads. “WilmerHale found the prior Board implemented its decision on an abridged timeframe, without advance notice to key stakeholders, and without a full inquiry or an opportunity for Mr. Altman to address the prior Board’s concerns.”
Altman told reporters that he was “pleased this whole thing is over,” according to The Associated Press.
Sue Desmond-Hellmann, former CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Nicole Seligman, former executive vice president and general counsel of Sony and president of Sony Entertainment and Fidji Simo, CEO and Chair of Instacart, were also all announced as new board members in the blog post.
“The new members have experience in leading global organizations and navigating complex regulatory environments, including backgrounds in technology, nonprofit and board governance,” OpenAI said.