OpenAI could soon lose hundreds of its employees

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Written on Nov 20, 2023

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Microsoft has hired Sam Altman to lead its new AI team.
Hundreds of OpenAI employees are also threatening to leave.
Microsoft stock is up more than 1.0% on Monday morning.

OpenAI could soon lose hundreds of its employees, including Ilya Sutskever – its co-founder, as per a Wired report on Monday.

I deeply regret my participation in the board's actions. I never intended to harm OpenAI. I love everything we've built together and I will do everything I can to reunite the company.
— Ilya Sutskever (@ilyasut) November 20, 2023

OpenAI employees are interested in joining MSFT

Earlier today, Microsoft Corp (NASDAQ: MSFT) hired Sam Altman as the head of its new advanced artificial intelligence research team – only days after he was fired as the Chief Executive of OpenAI.

And now more than 500 or the majority of OpenAI’s workforce is threatening to leave and join Altman at his new venture at MSFT unless the remaining members of its board resign.

Your actions have made it obvious that you’re incapable of overseeing OpenAI.

Those interested in switching include Mira Murati (CTO) and Brad Lightcap (COO) as well. On Monday, OpenAI also said that Emmett Shear – the former CEO of Twitch will lead the company moving forward.

Microsoft has promised jobs to OpenAI employees

Note that Microsoft has also hired Greg Brockman – the former president of OpenAI who resigned only hours after Altman was ousted, to its new AI team as well.

More importantly, the tech behemoth has promised jobs to OpenAI employees at its new subsidiary if they indeed choose to leave.

Satya Nadella – the Chief Executive of Microsoft Corp, however, did confirm in a recent statement that he remains committed to partnership with OpenAI. On CNBC’s “Squawk Box”, Dan Primack of Axios said today:

They’re bringing in Sam and Greg who, if all reporting is correct, were pushing commercialisation faster and faster. So, I think Microsoft has decided that the reward is worth the risk.

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