- OpenAI investors are pushing to reinstate Sam Altman, according to Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal.
- On Friday, Altman, co-founder of OpenAI, was abruptly removed from his role as CEO.
- Greg Brockman, OpenAI’s president and co-founder, also said on X that he was stepping down.
OpenAI investors are pushing to reinstate Sam Altman as CEO a day after the company’s board of directors ousted him from the position, according to Bloomberg and The Wall Street Journal.
The Verge first reported that Altman was in talks to return. Business Insider has not been able to independently confirm.
People familiar with the discussions told Bloomberg and The Journal that investors are pressuring the OpenAI’s board to reinstall Altman. Some of the investors, including Thrive Capital, have also approached Microsoft, Bloomberg reported.
On Friday, Altman, co-founder of OpenAI, was removed from his role as CEO, blindsiding many within the company and its biggest investor, Microsoft.
OpenAI‘s board said in a Friday statement that it “no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading” the company and that Altman was “not consistently candid in his communications.”
Altman has apparently set conditions for his possible return, including a demand for a new board, people familiar with the discussions told The Journal.
Another option he’s mulling over is starting a new company with former OpenAI employees, according to the report. The Information reported earlier on Saturday that Altman was planning a new artificial intelligence venture.
Spokespersons for OpenAI, Microsoft, and Thrive Capital did not immediately return a request for comment.
Altman’s firing sent immediate shockwaves within the tech world.
With Altman out of the company, Mira Murati, OpenAI’s chief technology officer and a former Tesla employee, was appointed interim CEO.
Hours after the announcement, Greg Brockman, OpenAI’s president and co-founder, said that he was stepping down from his position.
“Sam and I are shocked and saddened by what the board did today,” Brockman wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter, on Friday evening. Others have also stepped down.
Brockman is also in discussions with board members to return to the AI startup, two people familiar with the matter told The New York Times.
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