Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, two top OpenAI executives who left the company after a dramatic board meeting Friday, are again talking to board members about returning to the artificial intelligence startup, two people familiar with the matter said.
The discussions followed an outcry after Mr. Altman, 38, was ousted from his role as CEO of OpenAI a day earlier. Since then, OpenAI’s investors and Mr. Altman’s backers have pressured the startup’s four board members to bring Mr. Altman back, six people familiar with the matter said.
One of the respondents said that Microsoft, which has invested $13 billion in OpenAI, was leading the pressure campaign. OpenAI investors who have expressed support for Mr. Altman’s reinstatement were also willing to invest if he started a new company, something he began discussing almost immediately after his ouster, people with knowledge of the situation said.
The attempt was the latest twist in a fast-paced drama at OpenAI. The San Francisco start-up shocked the world last year when it released the chatbot ChatGPT and demonstrated the power of artificial intelligence, with Mr Altman quickly becoming the face of the industry. But on Friday, OpenAI suddenly announced that its board had removed Mr. Altman as chairman.
The fall caused ripples throughout the technology industry, where Mr. Altman is known not only for OpenAI but also for his years leading Y Combinator, the Silicon Valley startup incubator. OpenAI is backed by powerful investors — including Microsoft, Thrive Capital and Sequoia Capital — and many of them only learned of Mr. Altman’s departure a minute before his departure was announced or after the news broke.
OpenAI is controlled by a non-profit organization. It had six board members before Mr. Altman was forced out, and Greg Brockman, president of OpenAI and a board member, resigned in protest on Friday.
Because of OpenAI’s unique structure, its investors have no official say in what happens to the company or who runs it. However, investor support remains crucial for the startup, which needs to continue to raise money as it develops its technology.
OpenAI, Microsoft and Thrive Capital declined to comment.
This is a developing news story. Stay tuned for updates.
Karen Weise contributed reporting.