This move comes after CEO Sam Altman’s sudden departure after the board expressed discontent with his communication and leadership.
In a statement released on Saturday, 18 November 2023, Brockman expressed deep pride in his achievements at OpenAI, a journey that began in his apartment eight years ago.
He took to X, stating, “I’m super proud of what we’ve all built together since starting in my apartment eight years ago… Genuinely wishing you all nothing but the best. I continue to believe in the mission of creating safe AGI that benefits all of humanity.”
The news follows the controversial exit of Sam Altman, with Brockman later revealing his and Altman’s shock and sadness over the board’s decision.
After learning today’s news, this is the message I sent to the OpenAI team: https://t.co/NMnG16yFmm pic.twitter.com/8x39P0ejOM
— Greg Brockman (@gdb) November 18, 2023
Brockman further described how he and Altman were shocked as to what was happening, stating, “Sam and I are shocked and saddened by what the board did today.”
Sam and I are shocked and saddened by what the board did today.
Let us first say thank you to all the incredible people who we have worked with at OpenAI, our customers, our investors, and all of those who have been reaching out.
We too are still trying to figure out exactly…
— Greg Brockman (@gdb) November 18, 2023
Mira Murati, the current chief technology officer at OpenAI, has been appointed as the interim replacement for Altman. OpenAI stated that the decision for Altman’s removal came after a thorough review by the board, citing issues with Altman’s transparency in his communications with them had faltered.
The reshuffling at OpenAI is a pivotal moment for a company that has shaped the generative AI industry, rapidly progressing niche technology only those well-versed in AI were aware of to something that has taken regular feature across leading news channels.
Brockman and Altman have been instrumental in steering OpenAI since its inception as a non-profit research lab in 2015.
This development raises questions about the future direction of OpenAI and its role in the AI industry as regulatory and ethical challenges continue to mount.
