OpenAI employees threaten mass exodus unless board resigns
Some 500 OpenAI employees have said they “may choose to resign” from the tech startup unless the board quits.
In a letter to the board of the artificial intelligence (AI) company, top executives and other staffers said they will “imminently” leave OpenAI “unless all current board members resign” and Sam Altman is given his role as chief executive back.
According to the letter, shared on X, Microsoft has offered all OpenAI employees jobs at a new research unit led by Altman and his OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman.
It read: “Your actions have made it obvious that you are incapable of overseeing OpenAI. We are unable to work for or with people that lack incompetence, judgement and care for our mission and employees.”
It comes amid four days of turmoil for the Silicon Valley based company. On Friday, the board fired Altman saying he was “not consistently candid” with them.
But OpenAI staffers say the board has yet to show them any evidence of this.
Brockman announced his departure shortly afterwards. Both reportedly entered talks with investors to rejoin OpenAI, but these collapsed late last night.
This morning, Microsoft boss Satya Nadella announced that Altman and Brockman are set to join the software giant to lead a new advanced AI research team.
Microsoft and OpenAI were contacted for comment.