Sam Altman welcomes new board members as OpenAI’s Board shows ’full confidence’ in the CEO

OpenAI, the artificial intelligence company behind the groundbreaking ChatGPT, has taken steps to put its internal conflicts to rest and regain stability. After months of investigation into the events that led to the brief termination of CEO Sam Altman in November, the company has reinstated him to its board of directors, demonstrating its full confidence in his leadership. The company added 3 women directors - Sue Desmond-Hellmann, Nicole Seligman, Fidji Simo - aiming to strengthen governance after turmoil.

"I'm very happy to welcome our new board members: Fidji Simo, Sue Desmond-Hellmann, and Nicole Seligman, and to continue to work with Bret, Larry, and Adam, Saltman said in a post on X.

“I'm thankful to everyone on our team for being resilient (a great openai skill!) and staying focused during a challenging time. In particular, I want to thank Mira for our strong partnership and her leadership during the drama, since, and in all the quiet moments where it really counts. and Greg, who plays a special leadership role without which Openai would simply not exist. being in the trenches always sucks, but it's much better being there with the two of them,” he further added.

“I learned a lot from this experience. One thing I'll say now: when I believed a former board member was harming Openai through some of their actions, I should have handled that situation with more grace and care. I apologize for this, and I wish I had done it differently. I assume a genuine belief in the crucial importance of getting AGI right from everyone involved. We have important work in front of us, and we can't wait to show you what's next,” Saltman further said in his post.

According to a summary of findings released by OpenAI on Friday, an independent investigation conducted by the law firm WilmerHale concluded that Altman's initial ouster was a "consequence of a breakdown in the relationship and loss of trust" between him and the previous board. However, the investigation determined that Altman's conduct did not warrant his removal, according to a report by AP.

This development came after Altman's net worth reached the $2 billion mark, according to the Bloomberg Billionaire Index. However, it is important to note that OpenAI's success has nothing to do with  Altman's fortune, despite him being at the helm of the popular AI research firm, as per a Mint report.

While the full report was not released, OpenAI stated that the investigation found the previous board acted within its discretion, albeit with unintended consequences. Bret Taylor, the current board chair, emphasized that Altman's firing did not arise from concerns regarding product safety, security, or financial matters, as per the AP report.

Moving forward, OpenAI has pledged to implement governance improvements, including adopting new corporate guidelines, strengthening conflict of interest policies, establishing a whistleblower hotline, and creating additional board committees.

Despite the internal turmoil, OpenAI remains committed to its mission of safely developing artificial general intelligence (AGI) that benefits humanity. As the company navigates the challenges posed by increasingly powerful AI systems, it seeks to regain stability and focus on its ambitious goals.