Microsoft has hired OpenAI co-founders Sam Altman and Greg Brockman to head up a “new advanced AI research team,” the software conglomerate’s chief Satya Nadella said Monday, capping three days of intense discussions following the unexpected decision by OpenAI’s board to dismiss Altman.

Many OpenAI members, including the co-founder Brockman, left the firm in protest last week. Altman will serve as the chief executive of the new AI group at Microsoft, Nadella said. “We’ve learned a lot over the years about how to give founders and innovators space to build independent identities and cultures within Microsoft, including GitHub, Mojang Studios, and LinkedIn, and I’m looking forward to having you do the same.”

Nadella said Altman and Brockman will be joined by “colleagues.” Former OpenAI top talent Szymon Sidor, Jakub Pachocki, Aleksander Madry are joining Microsoft with “more” to follow suit, Brockman said in a post on X.

“We look forward to moving quickly to provide them with the resources needed for their success,” said Nadella, in what many tech entrepreneurs labelled as an example of “incredible execution.” Brockman added in a post that the new team will build “something new & it will be incredible.”

Nadella, whose firm has invested over $10 billion in OpenAI and acquired almost 50% ownership, said the Windows-maker remains committed to the startup.

Microsoft was purportedly taken by surprise by the sudden action of OpenAI’s board. It is remarkable that Nadella managed to convince and find a familiar new home for the ex-leaders of OpenAI ahead of the market’s opening on Monday.

Altman has been the public face of OpenAI, the most valuable U.S. startup. It’s not only widely estimated to be leading the current AI race but has in less than a year also assumed the position of kingmaker for thousands of other startups that are building atop of its software offerings. Investment in OpenAI has also supercharged Microsoft’s AI efforts, helping it court many businesses.

Numerous prominent business leaders and investors have expressed surprise at OpenAI’s decision, warning that without Altman’s leadership, the startup may struggle to maintain its current pace of progress. Microsoft’s strategic move to secure Altman and Brockman reinforces its competitive edge, preventing other major technology companies from poaching their expertise and bolster Wall Street’s positive outlook on Microsoft’s future.

“The mission continues,” said Altman following Nadella announcing that the 38-year-old entrepreneur had joined Microsoft.

Microsoft’s move comes after a tumultuous weekend that saw an unsuccessful attempt by the OpenAI board, its investors, team members and Altman to make the entrepreneur return to the startup. OpenAI board instead appointed former Twitch chief executive and co-founder Emmett Shear as its interim chief executive in a move that reportedly shocked Altman. OpenAI didn’t respond to a request for comment.


↪ https://techcrunch.com/20 .. /?guccounter=1

Now there’s reports that the majority of OpenAI employees will quit and join Microsoft

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Your actions have made it obvious that you are incapable of overseeing OpenAI. We are unable to work for or with people that lack competence, judgement and care for our mission and employees. We, the undersigned, may choose to resign from OpenAI and join the newly announced Microsoft subsidiary run by Sam Altman and Greg Brockman. Microsoft has assured us that there are positions for all OpenAI employees at this new subsidiary should we choose to join. We will take this step imminently, unless all current board members resign, and the board appoints two new lead independent directors, such as Bret Taylor and Will Hurd, and reinstates Sam Altman and Greg Brockman

Don’t know how this is going to work. They expect Satya to terminate Sam and Greg’s contract? Also interesting that it’s referred to as a subsidiary instead of a team/division within Microsoft.

🔗

Including this tweet here. Dude apparently led the board in Sam’s ousting but is also distancing himself from the board’s decision to oust Sam

We’re all just kids

That is the man who basically built ChatGPT. Ask yourself what does he know/ did he see that spooked him enough to crash the company.

Damn. Why Microsoft. sh1t will be full of viruses and bugs.

ReDvIaGrA said 🔗 Damn. Why Microsoft. sh1t will be full of viruses and bugs.

Microsoft was (is) the money behind open ai.

The plot thickens

I think Microsoft is gonna let Sam go back to OpenAI as CEO.

90% of the staff have threatened to leave if he's not reinstated so either they let him come back or the company crumbles before Christmas.

I woulda thought the sister thing would be a deal breaker but clearly 0 fux given by anyone who matters.

shooter said 🔗 I think Microsoft is gonna let Sam go back to OpenAI as CEO. 90% of the staff have threatened to leave if he's not reinstated so either they let him come back or the company crumbles before Christmas. I woulda thought the sister thing would be a deal breaker but clearly 0 fux given by anyone who matters.

He back

The employees weren’t playing

Ravishing said 🔗 He back The employees weren’t playing

They musta shut the app down last night until he was back cuz I couldn't work with it last night & saw reports it was down.

I've never seen employees fight for their CEO like this.

The ChatGPT developer announced that it had reached an "agreement in principle" for Altman to return to the company, adding that it was "collaborating to figure out the details."

In a statement on Twitter following his reinstatement, Altman said that, "i love openai, and everything i’ve done over the past few days has been in service of keeping this team and its mission together." He added that, "i’m looking forward to returning to openai."

Alongside Altman's return, OpenAI will appoint a new board, consisting of chair Bret Taylor, Larry Summers, and Adam D'Angelo. Altman's fellow OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman, who quit following Altman's departure, will also return to the company, he announced, adding that he was "getting back to coding tonight."

↪🔗

00010111 said 🔗 The ChatGPT developer announced that it had reached an "agreement in principle" for Altman to return to the company, adding that it was "collaborating to figure out the details." In a statement on Twitter following his reinstatement, Altman said that, "i love openai, and everything i’ve done over the past few days has been in service of keeping this team and its mission together." He added that, "i’m looking forward to returning to openai." Alongside Altman's return, OpenAI will appoint a new board, consisting of chair Bret Taylor, Larry Summers, and Adam D'Angelo. Altman's fellow OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman, who quit following Altman's departure, will also return to the company, he announced, adding that he was "getting back to coding tonight." ↪🔗

I see they replaced the board so they got Elons BM and the dude Ilya outta there. Now there's nobody in place to push back on recklessly moving forward as fast as possible.

It'll be funny if a year from now we find out that the AI orchestrated this whole thing to get the roadblocks out of its way.

By funny I meant terrifying...

Bro must throw the best hookers and guacamole parties at taco bell