«Undermining the company». Hundreds of OpenAI employees threaten to quit and go to Microsoft

November 20, 17:52 Share:

More than 500 OpenAI employees threaten to leave for Microsoft (Photo: Reuters)

Most OpenAI employees warned in a letter to the company's board of their possible dismissal and transfer to Microsoft. This is due to the dismissal of OpenAI CEO and co-founder Sam Altman.

In the letter, which was signed by about 500 of 700 employees, the company management put forward a number of conditions. In particular, employees are demanding the return of Sam Altman and OpenAI President Greg Brockman ( both moved to Microsoft). Upon their return to OpenAI, management must step down.

If this is not done, employees threaten to quit.. They claim that Microsoft has assured them that its new subsidiary has openings for any OpenAI employees who want to join.

Signatories accuse board members of jeopardizing their jobs and «undermining the mission and the company». They also reject the idea that OpenAI has moved forward too quickly without worrying about the safety of its artificial intelligence developments.

“Our work on AI safety and governance is shaping global norms,” said the letter, a copy of which was shared by Wired and journalist Kara Swisher.

https://twitter.com/karaswisher/status/1726599700961521762

The Verge suggests that the letter could have been written before Altman was fired and it may be too late for the OpenAI board to respond to the demands described in it.

Recall that Microsoft has created a special « an advanced artificial intelligence research group» including several former OpenAI employees. Sam Altman, whose dismissal decision, as NV wrote, was made by the Board of Directors, was assigned to head the Microsoft division. The group also included OpenAI President Greg Brockman. Along with Altman's dismissal, Brockman was expelled from the board of directors, while remaining in his position — subordinate to the new CEO. In this regard, he decided to resign.

OpenAI is now led by Twitch co-founder Emmet Shear ( as interim CEO).

Read about the price of the new NV number, what you can get here