OpenAI Staff Threaten Mass Exodus to Microsoft Unless Board Resigns
Over 660 OpenAI employees demand the board's resignation, threatening to follow ousted CEO Sam Altman to a new Microsoft subsidiary. The unprecedented revolt includes top executives and co-founder Ilya Sutskever.
Hundreds of OpenAI employees signed a letter demanding that the company's remaining board members resign or face a mass departure to Microsoft. The letter states that 667 of the roughly 770 employees at the artificial intelligence startup lost confidence in the board's ability to oversee the organization.
The signatories include top leadership such as former interim CEO Mira Murati and COO Brad Lightcap. Notably, co-founder and board member Ilya Sutskever signs the letter after publicly expressing deep regret over his role in the board's decision to oust CEO Sam Altman.
Microsoft assures the staff that they have positions available at a new subsidiary if they choose to leave OpenAI. This massive threat of resignation follows Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella's announcement that Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman are joining Microsoft to lead a new advanced AI research team.