Vice President of Global Affairs Anna Makanju wrote late Monday in an internal memo acquired by Bloomberg News that OpenAI is in “intense discussions” to unify its split workforce. Makanju sent the message to staff who had grown concerned following the resignation of CEO Sam Altman and the board’s surprising nomination of former Twitch boss Emmett Shear as his interim replacement. The company’s management is in contact with Altman, Shear, and the board of directors, “but they are not prepared to give us a final response this evening,” Makanju wrote.
Earlier on Monday, the majority of the workforce signed a letter threatening to quit if the board does not resign and re-hire Altman, who was hired to lead a new artificial intelligence project by Microsoft Corp., OpenAI’s largest shareholder. The note from Makanju does not go into detail on the degree of staff contact with Altman, and the former CEO did not react promptly to a request for comment after regular work hours.
Outside of OpenAI, there is also substantial support for Altman’s reinstatement
Outside of OpenAI, there is also substantial support for Altman’s reinstatement. People with knowledge of the initiative claimed early Monday that OpenAI’s other investors, led by Thrive Capital, are actively working to engineer his comeback, and even Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella stated he wouldn’t oppose Altman’s reinstatement. Microsoft, which has offered up to $13 billion in OpenAI investment, benefits whether Altman runs OpenAI or works under its umbrella, according to Nadella.
Altman, President Greg Brockman, Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever, Quora Inc. CEO Adam D’Angelo, tech entrepreneur Tasha McCauley, and Helen Toner, director of the strategy at Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology, were the company’s board members until Friday, when Altman was sacked. Brockman resigned in protest after Altman’s departure. “We are continuing to go over mutually acceptable options and are scheduled to speak again tomorrow morning when everyone’s had a little more sleep,” Makanju wrote. “These intense discussions can drag out, and I know it can feel impossible to be patient.” She added a word of reassurance for employees: “Know that we have a plan that we are working towards.”