OpenAI’s Chief Scientist Voted to Give CEO Sam Altman the Boot, then Immediately Regretted It

OpenAI co-founder and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever reportedly played a pivotal role in the recent dismissal of CEO Sam Altman, marking a significant shift in the organization’s leadership dynamics that may have major long-term negative consequences for the AI powerhouse. Immediately after the decisions and the weekend of chaos it caused, Sutskever claimed to regret the decision on social medial.

The Wall Street Journal reports that last Friday, the tech world was shaken by news from OpenAI, one of the leading artificial intelligence organizations. Breitbart News reported that now more than 700 employees have signed a letter threatening to quit unless significant changes were made at the top level of the organization. This revolt was triggered by the controversial dismissal of CEO Sam Altman by the organization’s board and the departure of co-founder Greg Brockman from the company. The employees have called for the entire board to resign and for Altman and Brockman to be reinstated.

Shortly after Altman’s dismissal, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced that Altman and Brockman would be joining the tech giant to head a new advanced AI research unit. This announcement came amid rumors that Microsoft was open to welcoming OpenAI employees to this new venture, further increasing the likelihood that many Altman loyalists may jump ship from OpenAI to join him at Microsoft.

Ilya Sutskever, the company’s chief scientist and co-founder, was at the center of a board coup that resulted in the dismissal of Altman. This event not only marked a major upheaval within OpenAI but also signified a crucial juncture in Sutskever’s 15-year career trajectory.

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

Sutskever, known for his technical prowess and vision in AI, initiated the dramatic shift with a simple text message to Altman, requesting a video chat. Altman was then added to a board meeting, with Sutskever delivering the news of Altman’s firing. Since Altman’s departure and subsequent hiring at Microsoft’s AI division, Sutskever has publicly expressed regret for his actions, acknowledging his participation in the board’s decision.

At OpenAI, Sutskever had two main focuses: achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI) and ensuring these systems align with human values. His concern for AI safety became increasingly pronounced, leading him to head the Superalignment team at OpenAI. This team dedicated significant computing resources to ensure AI systems were not harmful to humans.

However, Sutskever’s leadership style, marked by a near-religious fervor for AI’s potential, sometimes clashed with Altman’s approach. Sources familiar with the board’s thinking indicated disagreements over safety issues, though the board’s public statement attributed Altman’s dismissal to his lack of transparency and undermining behavior.

Read more at the Wall Street Journal here.

Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of free speech and online censorship.