In a stunning development, employees at OpenAI are planning to quit en masse if their former CEO Sam Altman remains with Microsoft. The company, which Altman co-founded and helmed until February 2020, has seen its employees and contributors growing increasingly concerned as Altman announced his new role as executive vice president with the tech giant.
OpenAI employees have cited Altman’s new gig as being antithetical to the promise of the artificial intelligence-redefining company. They are openly stating that they’re not comfortable under Microsoft’s leadership, given what the company stands for, and are asking for Altman to be removed in order to maintain the integrity of the organization’s mission and values.
The news has inspired a flurry of reactions, including a number of enraged reactions from the tech giant’s critics, auxiliaries of the company, and its employees who have been vocal in voicing their concern and/or dedication to the causes OpenAI was created for.
On the one hand, OpenAI employees are trying to maintain the old ideals, which they feel Altman’s association with Microsoft is undermining. On the other hand, Altman is looking to forge a path that could bridge the two entities to make use of each other’s strengths.
As the situation progresses, it remains to be seen what kind of power this group of employees holds and if Sam Altman can succeed in the delicate balancing act he must attempt in order to appease both camps. In the meantime, OpenAI’s future remains in question and at the mercy of the employees, who have the power to shape its destiny.
