In a recent development at OpenAI, Sam Altman, the former CEO, will not be making a return to the helm of the organization. The Information, citing a statement from board director Ilya Sutskever, reported that Emmett Shear, former Twitch CEO and co-founder, is set to take over as the interim CEO.
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Emmett Shear, known for co-founding Twitch and his recent departure from the Amazon.com-owned live video streaming platform, has been chosen to fill the leadership vacuum at OpenAI. Despite efforts from OpenAI executives to entice Altman back into the CEO role, he has declined, as confirmed by Sutskever in the statement to the company’s staff.
The report did not provide additional details, and Reuters has been unable to independently verify the statement made by The Information. OpenAI has not responded to requests for comment.
Altman, who played a pivotal role in the development of the ChatGPT bot, is reportedly in discussions about returning to the company. His focus would include enhancing the company’s governance structure. Simultaneously, Altman is exploring the possibility of launching a new artificial intelligence (AI) venture, according to a Reuters report.
The sudden departure of Altman, considered by many as the human face of generative AI, has sent shockwaves through the tech industry. The company’s board terminated Altman on Friday, a move that has stirred concerns among current and former employees, particularly regarding the potential impact on an upcoming $86 billion share sale.
On Sunday, Altman and former OpenAI President Greg Brockman joined executives at the company’s San Francisco headquarters. Brockman, who had stepped down as chairman from the board as part of the management shuffle, had also announced his resignation from the company.
Amidst the uncertainty, there are discussions about Microsoft, OpenAI’s largest supporter, potentially playing a role on the board if Altman decides to return. Two sources familiar with the talks told The Information that Microsoft is considering either a seat on OpenAI’s board of directors or acting as a board observer without voting power.
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As the transition unfolds, the tech industry closely watches OpenAI’s future direction and the potential implications for the rapidly evolving field of artificial intelligence.