After a tumultuous period, Sam Altman has reclaimed his position as CEO of OpenAI, succeeding the previous leadership that had removed him. The new board overseeing OpenAI is not yet fully established, with ongoing negotiations to include representation from major investors such as Microsoft, which has invested billions in the company.
A notable shift in the board’s composition is evident, as the previous academic and research-focused members are replaced by individuals with extensive backgrounds in business and technology. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella expressed optimism about the changes, stating that they are an essential step toward more stable and effective governance.
The newly appointed board members include:
- Bret Taylor (Board Chair): Former co-CEO of Salesforce, former Twitter board chair, and current board member at Shopify. Taylor co-founded Quip, an acquired collaboration platform.
2. Larry Summers: Former Treasury Secretary and Harvard University President, Summers brings economic expertise and valuable connections in Washington. He has praised OpenAI’s technology, comparing it to transformative inventions like the printing press and electricity.
3. Adam D’Angelo: The only returning member from the previous board, D’Angelo is the CEO of Quora and played a significant role in negotiating Altman’s return. He previously worked at Meta (formerly Facebook) and served as its CTO.
Reports suggest that Microsoft, Sequoia Capital, Thrive Capital, and Tiger Global, major investors without board representation, had been advocating for Altman’s reinstatement. Altman had reportedly been pushing for an expanded board at OpenAI for several months.
The board restructuring, marked by experienced technology and business executives, indicates a potential shift toward a more conventional Silicon Valley startup model for OpenAI. However, it’s crucial to note that OpenAI remains a “capped-profit” entity owned by a nonprofit, with excess profits directed to the nonprofit organization.
Original Article: https://www.cnbc.com/2023/11/22/sam-altmans-back-heres-whos-on-the-new-openai-board-and-whos-out.html