OpenAI staff tells board to resign after Sam Altman ousting: Report

OpenAI staff are reportedly unhappy that its board of directors fired founder Sam Altman. According to a social media post by tech podcast host Kara Swisher, employees sent a letter to the board demanding his resignation. A total of 505 of 700 employees signed the letter, according to the publication.

Breaking: 505 of 700 employees @OpenAI Tell the board to resign. pic.twitter.com/M4D0RX3Q7a

—Kara Swisher (@karaswisher) November 20, 2023

OpenAI is the developer of the ChatGPT artificial intelligence (AI) program. The program has More than 100 million active users, according to statistics site Tooltester.

Swisher posted a copy of the letter, which accused the board of undermining OpenAI's mission. "We, the employees of OpenAI, have developed the best models and taken the field to new frontiers," he said. But “the process by which they fired Sam Altman and removed Greg Brokman from the board of directors has jeopardized all of this work and undermined our mission and our company.”

The letter suggested that “the most stabilizing path forward” would be “to [the board] resign and establish a qualified board that can take the company forward with stability.”

Related: Who is Emmett Shear, the new CEO of OpenAI?

According to the letter, employees have attempted to investigate why Altman was fired, but have been unable to get a clear answer from the board, which "has never provided any written evidence" to confirm their allegations.

The OpenAI board fired Sam Altman on November 17 for allegedly "not always being truthful in his communications with the board." Greg Brockman was also removed as president on the same day. Some investors quickly protested his dismissal and asked for his refund. On November 20, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced that Altman and Brockman have been hired at your firm to head a new AI team.