The board of directors of OpenAI, Inc. has announced a leadership transition, with Sam Altman departing as CEO and Mira Murati, the company’s chief technology officer, stepping in as interim CEO. The board believes that Mira’s extensive experience and deep understanding of OpenAI’s values, operations, and business make her uniquely qualified for the role.
i loved my time at openai. it was transformative for me personally, and hopefully the world a little bit. most of all i loved working with such talented people.
— Sam Altman (@sama) November 17, 2023
will have more to say about what’s next later.
🫡
Mira Murati has been a key member of OpenAI’s leadership team for five years, playing a critical role in the company’s evolution as a global AI leader. She has already been leading the company’s research, product, and safety functions, and her expertise in AI governance and policy further strengthens her suitability for the position.
Sam and I are shocked and saddened by what the board did today.
— Greg Brockman (@gdb) November 18, 2023
Let us first say thank you to all the incredible people who we have worked with at OpenAI, our customers, our investors, and all of those who have been reaching out.
We too are still trying to figure out exactly…
This leadership transition comes as the result of a deliberative review process by the board, which found that Sam Altman’s communications with the board were not consistently candid, hindering the board’s ability to fulfill its responsibilities. As a result, the board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI.
The board remains fully committed to OpenAI’s mission of ensuring that artificial general intelligence benefits all of humanity. OpenAI was founded as a non-profit organization in 2015 to pursue this mission, and in 2019, it restructured to allow for capital raising while preserving the nonprofit’s mission, governance, and oversight.
OpenAI’s board of directors, which consists of OpenAI chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, independent directors Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo, technology entrepreneur Tasha McCauley, and Georgetown Center for Security and Emerging Technology’s Helen Toner, believes that new leadership is necessary to move the company forward.
As interim CEO, Mira Murati will lead OpenAI during this transition period while the board conducts a formal search for a permanent CEO. The board has expressed utmost confidence in Mira’s ability to guide the company during this time.
Greg Brockman, who served as chairman of the board, will be stepping down from his role but will remain with the company, reporting to the CEO.
OpenAI’s commitment to its mission and the principles outlined in its Charter remains unwavering. The board, composed primarily of independent directors who do not hold equity in the company, is dedicated to advancing OpenAI’s mission and ensuring responsible governance.
