CEO of Open AI disputes executive exits connected to reorganization
On Thursday, Sam Altman refuted any connection between the departure of three top OpenAI executives and the company’s upcoming restructure, which he claimed the board has been debating for several months.
Mira Murati, the veteran chief technical officer of the top AI company in the world, abruptly announced her resignation on Wednesday. Barret Zoph and Bob McGrew, two senior research leaders, announced their departure from the organization within hours of one other.
In an effort to attract investors, Open AI is planning to convert its primary business into a for-profit benefit corporation that will be independent of its non-profit board, according to a report published by Reuters on the same day.
OpenAI CEO Altman said during a speech on stage at the Italian Tech Week conference in Turin that “some stuff” that was reported about the executives’ leaving was false and that the personnel changes had nothing to do with the restructuring.
He said to John Elkann, the head of the automakers Stellantis and Ferrari, “That’s totally not true.”
“We have been thinking about that (restructuring), our board has, for almost a year, independently, as we consider what it takes to get to our next stage. A lot of the stuff I saw was also just completely incorrect.”
Prizing the outgoing leaders, Altman said he was eager to engage more closely with technical workers and streamline the organization’s structure.
“Because there has been so much going on, I have not been as involved in tech as other things lately. I’m excited to do that,” he remarked.
“Hopefully, everyone involved will find this to be a great transition, and Open AI will be stronger for it, as we are for all our transitions.”
The proposed restructuring’s specifics shed light on important internal developments that have taken place at one of the leading AI businesses in the world.
At the time of writing, Reuters was informed by sources that the plans were still being worked out between attorneys and stockholders, and it was unclear when they would be finished.
