Communication breakdown, not misconduct behind Sam’s exit: OpenAI COO

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's departure was the result of a "breakdown in communication" with the board, rather than any allegations of "malfeasance or issues related to financial, business, safety, or security/privacy practices," according to an internal memo from Chief Operating Officer Brad Lightcap, seen by Reuters.

The unexpected firing of Altman, the high-profile CEO of OpenAI, the company known for its product ChatGPT, sent shockwaves through the tech industry. The board replaced Altman with former Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati, and the sudden change surprised not only Altman but also many employees who learned about it from the company's public-facing blog.

Following the announcement, Greg Brockman, the former OpenAI president and co-founder, posted on X, stating that the management change took everyone by surprise. Brockman resigned shortly after Altman's firing, and senior researcher Szymon Sidor also confirmed his resignation.

In response to the widespread confusion and concerns among employees, Lightcap's memo reassured the team that the board's decision was not linked to any misconduct or issues related to the company's financial, business, safety, or security/privacy practices. Instead, it was attributed to a breakdown in communication between Altman and the board.

The memo acknowledged the team's concerns about the handling of the situation and stated that discussions with the board were ongoing to understand the reasons behind their decision. Lightcap emphasized the collective responsibility of the company to address the concerns and work towards a resolution for the benefit of teammates, partners, users, customers, and the broader community sharing OpenAI's vision of broadly beneficial AGI (Artificial General Intelligence).

(With Reuters inputs)