Members of OpenAI’s board of directors have re-opened talks with Sam Altman to negotiate the terms of his potential return to the startup he co-founded, days after firing him as CEO, according to a new report.
Bloomberg reported that Adam D’Angelo is one of the OpenAI board members in talks with Altman. Some investors who are interested in seeing the former CEO reinstated have also been involved in the discussions.
OpenAI, the company that developed the popular AI chatbot ChatGPT and was abruptly terminated on Friday by Altman, is still in chaos. This is at least the second meeting of OpenAI’s board with Altman after his abrupt departure on Friday. Altman had returned to the company headquarters for talks that ended in failure the day before.
Microsoft has hired Altman, OpenAI’s co-founder, and president Greg Brockman, to lead its new advanced AI team. Nearly all of OpenAI’s employees, or 770, have signed a threat to leave the company for Microsoft unless Altman returns and OpenAI’s board members resign.
Microsoft, the majority shareholder of OpenAI’s for-profit operation, has invested $13 billion into the startup.
Some OpenAI investors may sue the board for its actions, according to reports.
OpenAI, despite being in turmoil at the moment, is working to stabilize things. OpenAI’s President of Global Affairs Anna Makanju wrote an internal memo to her staff stating that management was in “intense talks” with Altman and interim CEO EmmettShear as well as the board, Bloomberg reported.
