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Sam Altman returns as CEO, OpenAI has a new initial board

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Re: Sam Altman returns as CEO, OpenAI has a new initial board

#331

Post by mikeg8 »

tsunamifury wrote: post #228

I have an insanely hard time believing that a CEO that copies his customers and competes directly with them with his own consumer product will be “doubling down” to help customers. Sam has shown he has no good will towards anyone but himself.

Building products on top of their platform and then getting mad that they continue to add and improve said platform with additional functionality (without knowing their product roadmap in advance) seems petty. If they’re able to eat their customers lunch so quickly, it’s because the customers are building very thin and weak businesses with no actual innovation.

Re: Sam Altman returns as CEO, OpenAI has a new initial board

#332

Post by aantix »

djbusby wrote: post #246
bko wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? If the product is useful (it is to me), then why do you care so much as to the internal politics? If it ceases to be useful or something better comes along, sure. But this strikes me as being serially online and involved in drama

These internal drama can play out in the service. Frame the question as: do you want to build on an unstable/unsteady platform?

Do you want to build on subpar technology?

Nothing beats OpenAI at the moment. Nothing is even close.

Re: Sam Altman returns as CEO, OpenAI has a new initial board

#333

Post by shrimpx »

osigurdson wrote: post #317

>> While Ilya will no longer serve on the board, we hope to continue our working relationship and are discussing how he can continue his work at OpenAI

That paragraph sounds like Ilya is in a gray zone of being fired or quitting.

Re: Sam Altman returns as CEO, OpenAI has a new initial board

#334

Post by sanderjd »

upwardbound wrote: post #284
sanderjd wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, their big mistake was being unwilling to be clear and explicit about this, but as I read it, the board's problem with him was that he wasn't actually acting as the executive of the non-profit that he was meant to be the executive of, but rather was acting entirely in the interests of a for-profit subsidiary of it (and in his own interests), which were in conflict with the non-profit's charter. I think where the…

Regardless of the board's failure to make their case, recent news suggests that the SEC is going to investigate whether it is true that Altman acted in the manner you describe, which would be a violation of fiduciary duty. I agree that it seems like an open & shut case. Typical SEC timelines mean that this will go public in about 18 months from now. An anonymous person has already filed an SEC whistleblower complaint…

Yep, no doubt there are more shoes left to drop.

Re: Sam Altman returns as CEO, OpenAI has a new initial board

#335

Post by aantix »

epgui wrote: post #290
bko wrote: post #156

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why? If the product is useful (it is to me), then why do you care so much as to the internal politics? If it ceases to be useful or something better comes along, sure. But this strikes me as being serially online and involved in drama

It’s not about politics, it’s about stability and trust. Same reason I’m hesitant to wire up my home with IoT devices (just a personal example). Nothing to do with politics, I’m just afraid companies will drop support and all the things I invested in will stop working.

Eventually you have to make a decision though? Even if it’s the wrong decision?

Our time is finite.

Re: Sam Altman returns as CEO, OpenAI has a new initial board

#336

Post by sanderjd »

bhpm wrote: post #243
sanderjd wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, their big mistake was being unwilling to be clear and explicit about this, but as I read it, the board's problem with him was that he wasn't actually acting as the executive of the non-profit that he was meant to be the executive of, but rather was acting entirely in the interests of a for-profit subsidiary of it (and in his own interests), which were in conflict with the non-profit's charter. I think where the…

Argue their case? To whom? They were the board.

To the public, and to employees.

Re: Sam Altman returns as CEO, OpenAI has a new initial board

#337

Post by 0xDEAFBEAD »

bedobi wrote: post #35

i'm still not clear what the accusation against Altman was... something about being cavalier about safety? if that was the claim and it has merit, i don't understand why it wasn't right to oust him, and why the employees are clamoring for him back

>To be clear: our decision was about the board's ability to effectively supervise the company, which was our role and responsibility. Though there has been speculation, we were not motivated by a desire to slow down OpenAI’s work

https://nitter.net/hlntnr/status/1730034022737125782#m

Here's some interesting background which is suggestive of what's going on: https://nitter.net/labenz/status/1727327424244023482#m

Re: Sam Altman returns as CEO, OpenAI has a new initial board

#338

Post by anticensor »

627467 wrote: post #189
bmitc wrote: post #170

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The board should have called their bluff and let them walk.

They could, or could they? Formally boards don't run companies. Would this scenario - besides ridiculous - be legal? Say they let 99% of the company walk. Who is qualified and responsible to do whatever needs to happened after that happens?

Some companies are chartered such that even the smallest outside spending requires a board vote.

Re: Sam Altman returns as CEO, OpenAI has a new initial board

#339

Post by willis936 »

bmitc wrote: post #170
Tuna-Fish wrote: post #149

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The reason the CEO could oust the board like that was that after the board fired the CEO, 720 of the 770 employees of the company got together and signed a pledge that they will all leave unless the CEO is reinstated and the board fired. This was the purest example of labor democracy and self-organization in action in the United States I have ever seen, my takeaway is rather the opposite of "they are all expendable".…

The board should have called their bluff and let them walk.

What would that have accomplished? The old board members would still be in charge of the same thing they are today: absolutely nothing. They overplayed their position. That's all there is to it.

Re: Sam Altman returns as CEO, OpenAI has a new initial board

#340

Post by 0xDEAFBEAD »

fastball wrote: post #255
7e wrote: post #166

Earlier quoted context omitted.

They were either scared of being sued for defamation or unwilling to divulge existential company secrets. Or both.

Doesn't really make sense to be unwilling to divulge company secrets if you're willing to gut the company for this hill.

They weren't willing to gut the company. That's why Sam is back as CEO.
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