OpenAI President Greg Brockman Resigns Following Surprise Firing of CEO Sam Altman
OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman resigns from the artificial intelligence startup just hours after the board abruptly fires CEO Sam Altman. CTO Mira Murati steps in as interim chief executive while the company and backer Microsoft stay silent on the exact reasons for the leadership overhaul.
OpenAI co-founder and president Greg Brockman quits the artificial intelligence startup Friday, departing just hours after the board abruptly fires CEO Sam Altman. Brockman, a close confidant of Altman, shares that chief scientist Ilya Sutskever informed Altman of a sudden Friday noon meeting the evening prior, during which the board delivered the news of his termination.
The board initially states that Brockman steps down as chairman but remains at the company, but Brockman quickly clarifies that he chooses to resign in protest of the board's direction. Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati takes over as interim CEO, while OpenAI and its primary backer Microsoft refuse to comment on the specific circumstances surrounding Altman's unexpected ouster.
This sudden leadership exodus sends shock waves through Silicon Valley just days after OpenAI hosts its first developer conference. The board claims Altman loses their confidence after a review finds he is not consistently candid in his communications, but the lack of transparency leaves the future of the leading AI startup deeply uncertain.