The OpenAI board is reportedly "in discussion" with Sam Altman regarding his potential return as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) after he was suddenly fired on Friday (November 17, 2023), according to The Verge.
Quoting sources close to the matter, The Verge reported that Altman is “ambivalent” about coming back and would want significant governance changes.
Also read: ChatGPT-maker OpenAI fires CEO Sam Altman
Earlier, many staffers of OpenAI, the US-based AI research and deployment company that developed ChatGPT, gave an ultimatum to the OpenAI board to resign and bring back Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, chairman of OpenAI who resigned in protest of firing Altman.
As per The Verge, the board has initially reached an agreement to resign, making way for Altman and Brockman to return. However, there seems to have been a change in their stance since then.
A source close to Altman told Verge that if he decides to start a new company, those staffers will go with him, which could lead OpenAI towards a state of free-fall.
Also read: ChatGPT-4: All you need to know
Following Altman’s termination as CEO, a string of senior researchers of the organisation have resigned from their posts at OpenAI.
Meanwhile, in a memo sent to OpenAI staffers, one executive member of the company has reportedly said "we remain optimistic" about bringing back Sam Altman, The Verge reports, quoting The Information. The Verge, however, couldn't confirm whom the executive was referring to with the term "we."