OpenAI: The cast of characters of Silicon Valley's latest, juiciest upheaval

Last week, OpenAI, a technology firm, unexpectedly removed CEO Sam Altman from his position, creating a stir in Silicon Valley and beyond. However, in a surprising turn of events, Altman has rejoined the company he helped co-found, effectively displacing some of the individuals who fired him from the board. Altman has been a prominent figure in OpenAI’s groundbreaking work in artificial intelligence, particularly its ChatGPT generative AI product. The controversy surrounding his departure shed light on other influential figures in the AI and internet industries, many of whom have long-standing friendships and have collaborated on well-known internet products. What sets this tale apart and makes it captivating is the swift unfolding of events, the relatively young and diverse board of directors, and the nature of OpenAI as a non-profit organization that is projected to become highly profitable. The involvement of notable names like Elon Musk and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella also generated interest, as did the differing perspectives on the potential risks presented by the technology and its controllers. The boardroom and backroom disagreements at OpenAI have drawn comparisons to both Shakespearean dramas and popular TV series like “Game of Thrones,” “Billions,” and “Succession.” The following are some of the key actors in this unfolding drama:

Sam Altman: Former CEO of OpenAI, Altman gained recognition through ChatGPT’s success and his advocacy for responsible AI development.
Satya Nadella: As Microsoft’s CEO and a major stakeholder in OpenAI, Nadella initially appeared to be negatively affected by Altman’s departure but gained a win through the announcement of a new AI division headed by the former OpenAI co-founders.
Mira Murati: Named as Altman’s interim successor, Murati signed a letter alongside 700 other OpenAI employees threatening to quit over Altman’s dismissal and calling for the board’s resignation.
Ilya Sutskever: OpenAI’s chief scientist and a board member, Sutskever played a significant role in Altman’s firing but later expressed regret and a desire to reunite the company.
Adam D’Angelo: An OpenAI board member who voted to remove Altman, D’Angelo has a background in companies like Facebook and Quora and has praised OpenAI’s unique board structure.
Bret Taylor: The new board chair at OpenAI, Taylor was previously the chair of Twitter’s board and has held positions at Salesforce, Facebook, Google, and other notable organizations.
Emmett Shear: Co-founder of Twitch, Shear joined OpenAI as interim CEO after Altman’s firing but has an uncertain role now that Altman has returned.
Tasha McCauley: McCauley, CEO of GeoSim Systems, joined the OpenAI board in 2018 and has experience in robotics and AI governance.
Greg Brockman: Co-founder of OpenAI who quit as President in protest, Brockman rejoined the company alongside Altman but his exact role remains unclear.
Helen Toner: Toner joined the OpenAI board in 2021 and has a background in AI policy and strategy, particularly in relation to China.
Joshua Kushner: Head of VC firm Thrive Capital, Kushner was reportedly leading a funding round to buy OpenAI shares at a high valuation, and he has connections to notable figures like Jared Kushner and Karlie Kloss.
Larry Summers: A prominent economist and former Treasury Secretary, Summers joined the OpenAI board when Altman returned.
Shivon Zilis: A previous OpenAI board member, Zilis left in March and is currently involved with Neuralink and Shield AI. The dynamic events unfolding at OpenAI have fascinated many due to the speed of developments, the mix of personalities and backgrounds within the board, and the potential impact of the company’s technology on society.