Greg Brockman, co-founder and president of OpenAI, announced his resignation on Saturday, just hours after the abrupt firing of CEO Sam Altman. The unexpected shakeup rattled the core of the Artificial Intelligence revolution, leaving the industry in uncertainty about its future.
In a post on the social media site X, Brockman expressed pride in the collaborative achievements of the past eight years, acknowledging both challenging and triumphant moments. However, in light of the recent developments, he declared, “But based on today’s news, I quit,” while expressing continued belief in the mission of creating safe artificial general intelligence for the benefit of humanity.
One of the earlier announced moves indicated that Brockman was set to step down from his role as board chairman but remain with the company, reporting to the incoming CEO. OpenAI clarified that Altman’s dismissal resulted from a review that revealed he was “not consistently candid in his communications” with the board of directors.
“The board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI,” stated the artificial intelligence company in an official statement, citing Altman’s behavior as a hindrance to the board’s ability to fulfill its responsibilities.
The departure of Altman, who played a pivotal role in catapulting ChatGPT to global fame, raised questions about the future trajectory of the industry. Despite his prominence in Silicon Valley as a voice on both the promises and potential dangers of artificial intelligence, Altman’s exit remained largely unexplained.
OpenAI declined to provide details on the specifics of Altman’s alleged lack of candor, emphasizing that it was impacting the board’s ability to carry out its duties. Altman, in a post on X on Friday, expressed his affection for his time at OpenAI, calling it transformative both personally and potentially for the world. He hinted at sharing more about his future plans at a later date.
