Sam Altman, the co-founder and former CEO of OpenAI, the influential artificial intelligence research organization, was fired from his position on November 17, 2023, after a series of deceptive and divisive actions that eroded the trust and confidence of the board and the staff. Altman, who had a vision to create artificial general intelligence (AGI) that can benefit humanity, was accused of trying to oust a board member, Helen Toner, who had a different perspective on the ethical and social implications of AI development.

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According to a report by Bloomberg, Altman had been secretly lobbying the board members to vote against Toner, who co-authored a paper arguing that AI companies should delay the release of their products until similar products were available on the market, to avoid creating monopolies and harming society1. Altman, who disagreed with this idea, reportedly distorted Toner’s position and created conflicts among the board members, who were unaware of his hidden agenda.

Altman’s scheme was exposed when a group of senior researchers at OpenAI sent a letter to the board, warning them of Altman’s manipulative and abusive behavior, and urging them to take action. The board, which included prominent figures such as Elon Musk, Reid Hoffman, and Peter Thiel, decided to fire Altman, citing a breach of trust and a lack of alignment with the organization’s values.

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Altman’s dismissal sparked a backlash from the majority of OpenAI’s employees, who threatened to quit if he was not reinstated. Altman, who had been instrumental in securing a $13 billion investment from Microsoft and leading several breakthroughs in AI research, such as GPT-3 and DALL-E, was seen as a visionary and a charismatic leader by many of his colleagues23. Altman also had the support of Microsoft’s CEO, Satya Nadella, who praised him for building “something magical” and announced that he would join Microsoft as the head of a new AI lab.

Altman’s departure from OpenAI has raised questions about the future of the organization, which aims to create AGI that can surpass human intelligence and solve the world’s problems. Some critics have argued that OpenAI’s hybrid structure, which combines a nonprofit and a for-profit entity, creates conflicts of interest and compromises its mission of ensuring that AI is aligned with human values and accessible to everyone12. Others have expressed concerns about the potential dangers of unleashing AGI, which could pose an existential threat to humanity if not controlled or regulated.

Altman’s saga has also highlighted the challenges and controversies that surround the field of AI, which is rapidly advancing and transforming every aspect of society. As AI becomes more powerful and ubiquitous, it also raises ethical, social, and political issues that require careful deliberation and collaboration among various stakeholders. Altman’s case shows that AI leaders need to be not only visionary and innovative, but also responsible and trustworthy. He is the dark side of Sam Altman, who lost his job at OpenAI.

Later Altman was back at OpenAI’s offices

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