Over 700 OpenAI Employees Threaten To Quit After CEO Sam Altman’s Termination
OAN’s Elizabeth Volberding
6:00 PM – Monday, November 20, 2023
After firing CEO Sam Altman last week, the board of directors of the artificial intelligence company OpenAI claims to have received threats from 738 employees threatening to resign from their positions.
On Monday, around 738 out of 770 OpenAI staffers, or about 95%, reportedly threatened to quit in a letter after the company’s board of directors terminated Altman on Friday.
The angry employees have requested for the resignation of the company’s board and threatened to quit due to “mishandling” Sam Altman’s termination, not providing explainable evidence for claims that Altman had not been honest with the board, and “negotiating in bad faith” with the firm’s executive leadership.
“Your actions have made it obvious that you are incapable of overseeing OpenAI,” the employees wrote in the letter. “We are unable to work for or with people that lack competence, judgment and care for our mission and employees.”
Altman has served as chief executive officer of OpenAI from 2019 to 2023. Although, he has already managed to snag a new position as the head of an AI research unit at Microsoft on Sunday.
The employees also threatened the company itself, stating that they would “imminently” follow Altman to his new job at Microsoft unless the board quits and reinstates Altman and Greg Brockman, who is the former OpenAI president that was also terminated on Friday.
“Microsoft has assured us that there are positions for all OpenAI employees at this new subsidiary should we choose to join,” the workers stated in the letter.
“The process through which you terminated Sam Altman and removed Greg Brockman from the board has jeopardized all of this work and undermined our mission and company,” the letter added. “Your conduct has made it clear you did not have the competence to oversee OpenAI.”
As news of the letter was released, Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI’s co-founder, chief scientist, and board member who has been reported as having played a role in Altman’s removal, made a statement on X (Twitter) where he publicly apologized and acknowledged Altman’s leadership in the company.
“I deeply regret my participation in the board’s actions,” Sutskever said. “I never intended to harm OpenAI. I love everything we’ve built together and I will do everything I can to reunite the company.”
Allegedly, there were tensions between Altman and the company’s board regarding the “pace and scope” of AI development.
As of Sunday, there have reportedly been “dozens” of OpenAI employees who have already resigned from their positions at the company in order to protest Altman’s termination.
With this drastic change, there are questions about whether OpenAI can continue to lead the way in creating AI tools like ChatGPT, which has amassed over 100 million active weekly users since its launch in late 2018.
OpenAI had initially prepared a tender offer that would have raised the company’s valuation to well over $80 billion before Altman was fired. However, now those plans are being re-examined.
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What specific grievances did the OpenAI employees express in their letter to the board regarding Altman’s termination?
As the CEO of OpenAI since 2019 and has been credited with leading the company to great success in the field of artificial intelligence. However, his recent termination has sparked controversy and dissent among OpenAI employees.
According to reports, a significant majority of OpenAI staff, amounting to 738 out of 770 employees, have threatened to resign in response to Altman’s firing. In a letter addressed to the company’s board of directors, these employees expressed their anger and dissatisfaction with the handling of Altman’s termination.
The letter specifically cited the board’s failure to provide explainable evidence for their claims against Altman and accused them of negotiating in bad faith with the company’s executive leadership. The employees questioned the competence, judgment, and care of the board, stating that they are unable to work for or with individuals who lack these qualities.
The threat of mass resignation from such a large number of employees presents a significant challenge for OpenAI. Losing almost 95% of its staff could potentially have a detrimental impact on the company’s operations and its ability to continue its mission in advancing artificial intelligence.
The termination of a CEO often leads to differing opinions and reactions from employees, stakeholders, and the public. In this case, the employees’ strong response serves as a reflection of their loyalty and support for Altman. It also highlights their discontent with the board’s decision-making process and their lack of trust in its competence.
OpenAI now faces the task of addressing these concerns and finding a resolution that will satisfy both the employees and the board. It is crucial for the company to listen to the grievances of its workforce and take their opinions into consideration. Failing to do so may result in the departure of a significant portion of talented and dedicated employees, potentially jeopardizing the future success of OpenAI.
The board of directors must now carefully assess the demands of the employees and evaluate the impact they may have on the organization. It is in the best interest of OpenAI to find a solution that ensures the continued collaboration and dedication of its highly skilled workforce.
Ultimately, the events surrounding Altman’s termination and the employees’ threat of resignation serve as a reminder of the importance of effective communication, transparency, and trust between management and employees. OpenAI must work towards restoring these elements to maintain a harmonious and productive work environment for its employees and continue its pursuit of innovation in the field of artificial intelligence.
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