In a surprise move, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is rejoining the board of directors of the non profit that oversees the artificial intelligence developer, the company told staff on Friday. The decision to reinstate Altman to that position comes four and a half months after the board fired and rehired him in a matter of days, triggering an employee revolt that nearly collapsed the ChatGPT creator.
Also on Friday, OpenAI was getting ready to announce the appointment of three other new directors: Sue Desmond-Hellmann, a former CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Nicole Seligman, a former president of Sony Entertainment; and Fidji Simo, CEO of Instacart. The new appointments would increase the number of directors at the nonprofit to seven.
It later announced those appointments, as well as that of an outside review of the events leading up to Altman’s firing. The law firm WilmerHale found that the board acted within its rights to fire Altman, “but also found that his conduct did not mandate removal.”
