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This suggests that Greg Brockman wasn't in the board meeting that made the decision, and only "learned the news" that he was off the board the same way the rest

This suggests that Greg Brockman wasn't in the board meeting that made the decision, and only "learned the news" that he was off the board the same way the rest of us did.

w10-1 3y ago
Boards cannot meet or act without notice to board members and the opportunity for them to participate.
- cl42 3y ago
  They can if the meeting is about the problematic board member(s).
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
  - throwaway4aday 3y ago
    Still have to give notice
- adastra22 3y ago
  I'm not sure those rules apply to non-profits.
  - Eliezer 3y ago
    They're usually in the Bylaws. MIRI's Bylaws, iirc 23 years after I wrote them, contain a provision like that.
dragonwriter 3y ago
Well, yeah, he wouldn't be allowed to participate in deliberation about his own removal.
- DavidSJ 3y ago
  Maybe, but there's a difference between not being in the deliberation, and not being notified until the entire planet was.
- branweb 3y ago
  wait...isn't "the decision" referred to in the parent comment about the removal of Altman?
  - dragonwriter 3y ago
    He was renoved as Chairman at the same time (close enough that they were announced together, and presumably linked in cause, though possibly a separate vote) as Altman was removed as CEO.
    - branweb 3y ago
      ah ok makes sense. I thought he just resigned in response to Altman's ouster, so there was no board decision to remove Brockman.
  - bbreier 3y ago
    Greg's removal was announced in the same press release as Altman's
    - branweb 3y ago
      ah ok. I thought the board decided to remove Altman, then Brockman quit in response, so there was no deliberation about his (Brockman's) removal.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
dekhn 3y ago
Since he was chair of the board... I'm curious how the rest of the board implemented this.
- Widdershin 3y ago
  In the board I served on in the past we had an agreed quorum where we could make binding decisions if ~2/3rds of the members were present. Probably a similar situation.
  - cyanydeez 3y ago
    which makes sense because it'd take 2/3 to implement something if they're unanimous. just base logic.
blast 3y ago
He was chairman of the board, no? surely he was in the meeting? More likely it's some kind of schism and he was on Sam's side.
- dekhn 3y ago
  Just guessing here, but I think the board can form a quorum without the chair, and vote, and as long as they have a majority, i think they can proceed with a press release based on their vote.
  - freedomben 3y ago
    It varies by jurisdiction and board rules, but this is a common setup and a very reasonable guess.
  - deleted 3y ago
    [deleted]
- dragonwriter 3y ago
  > He was chairman of the board, no? surely he was in the meeting? Since he was removed as Chairman at the same time as Altman was as CEO, presumably he was excluded from that part of the meeting (which may have been the whole meeting) for the same reason as Altman would have been.
cldellow 3y ago
You've put "learned the news" in quote, but what Greg Brockman wrote was "based on today's news". That could simply mean that he disagreed with the outcome and is expressing that disagreement by quitting. EDIT: Derp. I was reading the note he wrote to OpenAI staff. The tweet itself says "After learning today's news" -- still ambiguous as to when and where he learned the news.
- philipov 3y ago
  It's all very ambiguous, but if he had been there for the board meeting where he was removed, I imagine he would have quit then and it would have been in the official announcement. It comes across like he didn't quit until after the announcement had already been made.
  - latexr 3y ago
    > and it would have been in the official announcement. It is: > As a part of this transition, Greg Brockman will be stepping down as chairman of the board and will remain in his role at the company, reporting to the CEO. https://openai.com/blog/openai-announces-leadership-transition https://openai.com/blog/openai-announces-leadership-transiti...
    - philipov 3y ago
      > and will remain in his role at the company The portion you quoted says he will remain at the company. This post is about him quitting, and no longer remaining with the company.

This suggests that Greg Brockman wasn't in the board meeting that made the decision, and only "learned the news" that he was off the board the same way the rest of us did.

w10-1 3y ago

Boards cannot meet or act without notice to board members and the opportunity for them to participate.

cl42 3y ago
They can if the meeting is about the problematic board member(s).
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
- throwaway4aday 3y ago
  Still have to give notice
adastra22 3y ago
I'm not sure those rules apply to non-profits.
- Eliezer 3y ago
  They're usually in the Bylaws. MIRI's Bylaws, iirc 23 years after I wrote them, contain a provision like that.

dragonwriter 3y ago

Well, yeah, he wouldn't be allowed to participate in deliberation about his own removal.

DavidSJ 3y ago
Maybe, but there's a difference between not being in the deliberation, and not being notified until the entire planet was.
branweb 3y ago
wait...isn't "the decision" referred to in the parent comment about the removal of Altman?
- dragonwriter 3y ago
  He was renoved as Chairman at the same time (close enough that they were announced together, and presumably linked in cause, though possibly a separate vote) as Altman was removed as CEO.
  - branweb 3y ago
    ah ok makes sense. I thought he just resigned in response to Altman's ouster, so there was no board decision to remove Brockman.
- bbreier 3y ago
  Greg's removal was announced in the same press release as Altman's
  - branweb 3y ago
    ah ok. I thought the board decided to remove Altman, then Brockman quit in response, so there was no deliberation about his (Brockman's) removal.
deleted 3y ago
[deleted]

dekhn 3y ago

Since he was chair of the board... I'm curious how the rest of the board implemented this.

Widdershin 3y ago
In the board I served on in the past we had an agreed quorum where we could make binding decisions if ~2/3rds of the members were present. Probably a similar situation.
- cyanydeez 3y ago
  which makes sense because it'd take 2/3 to implement something if they're unanimous. just base logic.

blast 3y ago

He was chairman of the board, no? surely he was in the meeting? More likely it's some kind of schism and he was on Sam's side.

dekhn 3y ago
Just guessing here, but I think the board can form a quorum without the chair, and vote, and as long as they have a majority, i think they can proceed with a press release based on their vote.
- freedomben 3y ago
  It varies by jurisdiction and board rules, but this is a common setup and a very reasonable guess.
- deleted 3y ago
  [deleted]
dragonwriter 3y ago
> He was chairman of the board, no? surely he was in the meeting? Since he was removed as Chairman at the same time as Altman was as CEO, presumably he was excluded from that part of the meeting (which may have been the whole meeting) for the same reason as Altman would have been.

cldellow 3y ago

You've put "learned the news" in quote, but what Greg Brockman wrote was "based on today's news". That could simply mean that he disagreed with the outcome and is expressing that disagreement by quitting. EDIT: Derp. I was reading the note he wrote to OpenAI staff. The tweet itself says "After learning today's news" -- still ambiguous as to when and where he learned the news.

philipov 3y ago
It's all very ambiguous, but if he had been there for the board meeting where he was removed, I imagine he would have quit then and it would have been in the official announcement. It comes across like he didn't quit until after the announcement had already been made.
- latexr 3y ago
  > and it would have been in the official announcement. It is: > As a part of this transition, Greg Brockman will be stepping down as chairman of the board and will remain in his role at the company, reporting to the CEO. https://openai.com/blog/openai-announces-leadership-transition https://openai.com/blog/openai-announces-leadership-transiti...
  - philipov 3y ago
    > and will remain in his role at the company The portion you quoted says he will remain at the company. This post is about him quitting, and no longer remaining with the company.