San Francisco, Nov 20: In a surprising turn of events, Microsoft Chairman and CEO Satya Nadella revealed today that the company is enlisting the expertise of former OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman to spearhead its advanced AI research initiatives.
Altman, recently ousted from OpenAI, engaged in discussions with the company’s board regarding a potential return. However, negotiations broke down, leading Altman to accept an interim CEO position at ChatGPT developer, with former Twitch CEO Emmett Shear stepping in.
Nadella expressed enthusiasm about the new additions, stating in a post on X, “We are extremely excited to share the news that Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, along with their colleagues, will be joining Microsoft to lead a new advanced AI research team. We look forward to swiftly providing them with the resources needed for their success.”
Putting an end to the weekend’s intense negotiations around Altman’s potential return to OpenAI, Nadella reassured that Microsoft remains committed to its collaboration with OpenAI. He expressed confidence in OpenAI’s product roadmap and its capacity for ongoing innovation, as showcased at the recent ‘Microsoft Ignite’ event.
“We look forward to getting to know Emmett Shear and OpenAI’s new leadership team and working with them,” added Nadella, highlighting Microsoft’s investment of over $10 billion in OpenAI. In January of this year, Microsoft announced the third phase of its long-term partnership with OpenAI, involving a multiyear, multibillion-dollar investment aimed at accelerating AI breakthroughs for widespread global benefit.
