Sam Altman Reflects on Turmoil Following Brief OpenAI Ouster

The OpenAI CEO criticized former board members for their handling of his 2023 removal, which he described as leaving the company in disarray.

Sam Altman was briefly ousted as OpenAI's CEO in November 2023 due to claims of inconsistent communication with the board, before being reinstated days later after employee protests.
Altman described the aftermath of his return as a 'complete mess,' citing ongoing government investigations and leaks from former board members.
The former board members who voted for his removal were replaced as part of Altman's conditions for returning to the company.
Several high-profile OpenAI leaders, including Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever and CTO Mira Murati, left the organization in the months following Altman's reinstatement.
Altman acknowledged the former board's concerns about the risks of artificial general intelligence but strongly disagreed with their methods and decisions.