Sam Altman Ousted from ChatGPT Maker OpenAI As Board Loses Confidence In His Leadership

By
Kevin George
Kevin George
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Kevin George is a freelance crypto writer and editor for Investopedia. He holds a master's degree in finance and has extensive knowledge and experience in the area of trading, markets, and economics.
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Updated November 17, 2023
OpenAI Co-Founder & CEO Sam Altman speaks onstage during TechCrunch Disrupt San Francisco 2019 at Moscone Convention Center on October 03, 2019 in San Francisco, California.

Steve Jennings/Getty Images

Key Takeaways

  • Sam Altman has been ousted from OpenAI, the company he co-founded.
  • The board of directors said his 'less than candid' approach was hurting the company.
  • Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati takes over as interim CEO in a transition that could affect ChatGPT and Microsoft.

Sam Altman, co-founder of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, has been ousted from the company, its board of directors said Friday.

The CEO's sudden departure came after the board conducted a review of Altman. The board found that he was not candid in his communications, "hindering [the board's] ability to exercise its responsibilities."

"The board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI," the company said in a statement.

Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati will take over as interim CEO.

The news comes as the federal government has begun paying more attention to AI technology as it has risen rapidly. In late October, President Joe Biden called for regulators to establish safeguards for the use of AI and reinforced his desire that companies voluntarily disclose certain information about their work.

Tesla (TSLA) CEO Elon Musk was a co-founder of OpenAI with Altman, but exited in 2019. Since then he has urged the company to be more open after an MIT Technology Review article said there was a culture of secrecy at the firm, despite management's commitment to transparency.

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Article Sources
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  1. OpenAI. "OpenAI announces leadership transition."

  2. Business Insider. "History of Elon Musk and Sam Altman's Working Relationship and Feud."

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