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Sam Altman Returns to OpenAI’s Board of Directors
Sam Altman is set to return to OpenAI’s Board of Directors, a move that comes after a tumultuous period that saw his abrupt firing from the board, as reported by The Information. This decision has sparked intrigue as it follows a period of internal discord within the company, prompting more than 700 employees to protest.
New Additions to the Board
Joining Altman on the board are three new members: Sue Desmond-Hellmann, former CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Nicole Seligman, former President of Sony; and Fidji Simo, CEO of Instacart. Noteworthy is the fact that all three new members are women, a significant change from the previous all-male board composition. Despite their lack of direct research background in artificial intelligence, they are entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing OpenAI’s pursuit of artificial general intelligence (AGI), a milestone that prioritizes benefitting humanity over financial gains.
Resurfacing Questions and Investigations
As Altman rejoins the board, there remain lingering questions surrounding the circumstances of his initial departure. Alongside Altman, several other board members, including Greg Brockman, Ilya Sutskever, Tasha Mccauley, and Helen Toner, had stepped down amid internal conflicts that threatened the stability of the company. The recent inclusion of outside perspectives from The Information and WilmerHale, through investigative reports, sheds some light on the events leading up to Altman’s dismissal.
One of the speculated reasons behind Altman’s removal pertains to his extensive involvement in various side projects, including a substantial chip-building initiative valued at $7 trillion. In response to these concerns, OpenAI’s board has implemented stricter guidelines to mitigate potential conflicts of interest moving forward.
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