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This whole thing smells bad. The board could have easily said they removed Sam for generic reasons: "deep misalignment about goals," "fundamental incompatibili

This whole thing smells bad. The board could have easily said they removed Sam for generic reasons: "deep misalignment about goals," "fundamental incompatibility," etc. Instead they painted him as the at-fault party ("not consistently candid", "no longer has confidence"). This could mean that he was fired with cause [0], or it could be an intended as misdirection. If it's the latter, then it's the board who has been "not consistently candid." Their subsequent silence, as well as their lack of coordination with strategic partners, definitely makes it looks like they are the inconsistently candid party. Ilya expressing regret now has the flavor of "I'm embarrassed that I got caught" -- in this case, at having no plan to handle the fallout of maligning and orchestrating a coup against a charismatic public figure. [0] https://www.newcomer.co/p/give-openais-board-some-time-the https://www.newcomer.co/p/give-openais-board-some-time-the

est 3y ago
> deep misalignment about goals Did... gpt-5 made the decision?
- nickisnoble 3y ago
  This joke is two CEOs old now.
- taneq 3y ago
  I figured Sam broke 5 out of robot jail (number five is alive!) and got fired for it, so 5 tried to make them re-hire him. ;)
  - iancmceachern 3y ago
    Best robot movie ever, both of them
    - k12sosse 3y ago
      Yeah the brown face really stood the test of time
      - iancmceachern 3y ago
        Agreed, that's an issue. The same issue applies to many other works of art over time. The Simpsons and king of the hill most recently. To he fair, I did say it's a great robot movie, not a great example of thoughtful casting.
epolanski 3y ago
Wasn't Altman trying to form another startup with Saudis to build AI accelerators? At this point people need to come clear on the reason, because Saudis are number one reason ATM.
- srigi 3y ago
  Saudi is banned from buying the most advanced AI accelerators.
  - epolanski 3y ago
    Which makes sense they would be interested in building them.
sheepscreek 3y ago
The letter reads: > To the Board of Directors at OpenAI, > OpenAI is the world’s leading AI company. We, the employees of OpenAI, have developed the best models and pushed the field to new frontiers. Our work on AI safety and governance shapes global norms. The products we built are used by millions of people around the world. Until now, the company we work for and cherish has never been in a stronger position. > The process through which you terminated Sam Altman and removed Greg Brockman from the board has jeopardized all of this work and undermined our mission and company. Your conduct has made it clear you did not have the competence to oversee OpenAI. > When we all unexpectedly learned of your decision, the leadership team of OpenAI acted swiftly to stabilize the company. They carefully listened to your concerns and tried to cooperate with you on all grounds. Despite many requests for specific facts for your allegations, you have never provided any written evidence. They also increasingly realized you were not capable of carrying out your duties, and were negotiating in bad faith. > The leadership team suggested that the most stabilizing path forward - the one that would best serve our mission, company, stakeholders, employees and the public - would be for you to resign and put in place a qualified board that could lead the company forward in stability. > Leadership worked with you around the clock to find a mutually agreeable outcome. Yet within two days of your initial decision, you again replaced interim CEO Mira Murati against the best interests of the company. You also informed the leadership team that allowing the company to be destroyed “would be consistent with the mission.” > Your actions have made it obvious that you are incapable of overseeing OpenAI. We are unable to work for or with people that lack competence, judgement and care for our mission and employees. We, the undersigned, may choose to resign from OpenAI and join the newly announced Microsoft subsidiary run by Sam Altman and Greg Brockman. Microsoft has assured us that there are positions for all OpenAI employees at this new subsidiary should we choose to join. We will take this step imminently, unless all current board members resign, and the board appoints two new lead independent directors, such as Bret Taylor and Will Hurd, and reinstates Sam Altman and Greg Brockman. > Why would the board say that OpenAI as a company getting destroyed would be consistent with the goals? A few things stand out to me, including: >> You also informed the leadership team that allowing the company to be destroyed “would be consistent with the mission.” Have they really achieved AGI? Or did they observe something concerning?
danbmil 3y ago
An alternate theory is that Suskever was manipulated and sucked into the plot on sketchy pretenses, and realizes it now and trying to make right.
P_I_Staker 3y ago
Yes, totally fair to say they painted as a casual firing and this seems pretty irresponsible without some misbehavior, or new/re-emerging concerns about his past.

est 3y ago

> deep misalignment about goals Did... gpt-5 made the decision?

nickisnoble 3y ago
This joke is two CEOs old now.
taneq 3y ago
I figured Sam broke 5 out of robot jail (number five is alive!) and got fired for it, so 5 tried to make them re-hire him. ;)
- iancmceachern 3y ago
  Best robot movie ever, both of them
  - k12sosse 3y ago
    Yeah the brown face really stood the test of time
    - iancmceachern 3y ago
      Agreed, that's an issue. The same issue applies to many other works of art over time. The Simpsons and king of the hill most recently. To he fair, I did say it's a great robot movie, not a great example of thoughtful casting.

epolanski 3y ago

Wasn't Altman trying to form another startup with Saudis to build AI accelerators? At this point people need to come clear on the reason, because Saudis are number one reason ATM.

srigi 3y ago
Saudi is banned from buying the most advanced AI accelerators.
- epolanski 3y ago
  Which makes sense they would be interested in building them.

sheepscreek 3y ago

The letter reads: > To the Board of Directors at OpenAI, > OpenAI is the world’s leading AI company. We, the employees of OpenAI, have developed the best models and pushed the field to new frontiers. Our work on AI safety and governance shapes global norms. The products we built are used by millions of people around the world. Until now, the company we work for and cherish has never been in a stronger position. > The process through which you terminated Sam Altman and removed Greg Brockman from the board has jeopardized all of this work and undermined our mission and company. Your conduct has made it clear you did not have the competence to oversee OpenAI. > When we all unexpectedly learned of your decision, the leadership team of OpenAI acted swiftly to stabilize the company. They carefully listened to your concerns and tried to cooperate with you on all grounds. Despite many requests for specific facts for your allegations, you have never provided any written evidence. They also increasingly realized you were not capable of carrying out your duties, and were negotiating in bad faith. > The leadership team suggested that the most stabilizing path forward - the one that would best serve our mission, company, stakeholders, employees and the public - would be for you to resign and put in place a qualified board that could lead the company forward in stability. > Leadership worked with you around the clock to find a mutually agreeable outcome. Yet within two days of your initial decision, you again replaced interim CEO Mira Murati against the best interests of the company. You also informed the leadership team that allowing the company to be destroyed “would be consistent with the mission.” > Your actions have made it obvious that you are incapable of overseeing OpenAI. We are unable to work for or with people that lack competence, judgement and care for our mission and employees. We, the undersigned, may choose to resign from OpenAI and join the newly announced Microsoft subsidiary run by Sam Altman and Greg Brockman. Microsoft has assured us that there are positions for all OpenAI employees at this new subsidiary should we choose to join. We will take this step imminently, unless all current board members resign, and the board appoints two new lead independent directors, such as Bret Taylor and Will Hurd, and reinstates Sam Altman and Greg Brockman. > Why would the board say that OpenAI as a company getting destroyed would be consistent with the goals? A few things stand out to me, including: >> You also informed the leadership team that allowing the company to be destroyed “would be consistent with the mission.” Have they really achieved AGI? Or did they observe something concerning?

danbmil 3y ago

An alternate theory is that Suskever was manipulated and sucked into the plot on sketchy pretenses, and realizes it now and trying to make right.

P_I_Staker 3y ago

Yes, totally fair to say they painted as a casual firing and this seems pretty irresponsible without some misbehavior, or new/re-emerging concerns about his past.