Hundreds of OpenAI employees threaten to follow Altman to Microsoft unless board resigns

Key Points

• Employee Rebellion and Demand for Board Resignation: A significant number of OpenAI employees, including co-founder Ilya Sutskever, have signed a letter demanding the resignation of the remaining board members. The letter, signed by approximately 667 employees out of OpenAI’s 770, accuses the board of incompetence and asserts that their actions have jeopardized the company’s work, mission, and global standing. The employees express their intention to resign and join Sam Altman’s new venture at Microsoft unless the current board steps down.
• Microsoft’s Role and Employee Assurance: The letter mentions that Microsoft has assured OpenAI employees that they would have positions at the new subsidiary led by Sam Altman if they choose to join. This assurance from Microsoft adds a layer of complexity to the situation, indicating potential collaboration and support for the employees looking to transition to Altman’s new venture.
• Board’s Handling of Leadership Changes and Employee Backlash: The letter outlines employees’ frustration with the board’s handling of the termination of CEO Sam Altman and the removal of Greg Brockman from the board. It criticizes the lack of competence, judgment, and care for OpenAI’s mission and employees by the current board. The letter details the unsuccessful negotiations for Altman’s return and the subsequent announcement by Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella that Altman and Greg Brockman would join Microsoft in a new, largely independent venture. The ultimatum presented in the letter includes demands for the resignation of all current board members, the appointment of new lead independent directors, and the reinstatement of Sam Altman and Greg Brockman for employees to reconsider their resignation.