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12 BUSINESS & FINANCE
OpenAI’s New Leadership Promises Investigation
and Reform Following Sam Altman’s Abrupt Exit
EMMETT Shear, the interim CEO of OpenAI, has pledged to
launch an independent investigation into the sudden removal
of co-founder Sam Altman and initiate reforms within the
management team over the next 30 days. The move comes
as Shear aims to restore trust in the US startup after a tumul-
tuous weekend marked by Altman’s unexpected departure.
Emmett Shear, formerly the CEO of Twitch, stepped in to
lead OpenAI after Altman’s surprising dismissal on Friday.
In response to the upheaval, OpenAI backer Microsoft
announced that Altman would join the company to head a
new advanced artificial intelligence research team.
Acknowledging the mishandling of the process and commu-
nication surrounding Altman’s removal, Shear expressed a
commitment to addressing the damage to trust within the
organization. In a social media post, Shear described his
new role as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”
Investors, including major supporter Microsoft, engaged in
discussions over the weekend to mitigate the fallout from
the dramatic events. There were concerns about the poten-
tial departure of key talent without Altman, and discussions
included the possibility of urging the board to reinstate
Altman as CEO.
Emmett Shear outlined a three-point plan for the initial 30
Wednesday, 22 November 2023
days of his leadership. This plan involves hiring an inde-
pendent investigator to scrutinize the process leading to
Altman’s removal, engaging with employees, partners,
investors, and customers, and implementing reforms within
the management and leadership team to enhance effective-
ness.
Depending on the findings, Shear expressed a willingness
to drive changes within the organization, potentially advo-
cating for significant governance adjustments if deemed
necessary. He emphasized the importance of OpenAI’s
stability and success, pledging to address key concerns
while acknowledging that true progress may extend beyond
the initial month.
The reasons behind Altman’s exit remain unclear. OpenAI’s
Chief Operating Officer, Brad Lightcap, informed staff that it
resulted from a “breakdown of communications” rather than
“malfeasance.”
Emmett Shear clarified that he verified the reasons before
accepting the role and assured that Altman was not removed
due to any disagreement on the safety of powerful AI models.
He emphasized that the rationale for Altman’s departure
differed substantially from such concerns, stating, “I’m not
crazy enough to take this job without board support for
commercializing our awesome models.”