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OpenAI investors try to get Sam Altman back as CEO after sudden firing

wsj.com

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Re: OpenAI investors try to get Sam Altman back as CEO after sudden firing

#31

Post by toomuchtodo »

CPLX wrote: post #30
toomuchtodo wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Sam wins either way and holds all the power with Microsoft’s backing. The only question is whether OpenAI survives (it will not if Sam and Microsoft go elsewhere) and who gets purged post coup attempt.

In the left corner, Microsoft and the guy that founded Loopt. In the right corner the company that created and still completely controls GPT-4. Why are you so sure about who wins this face off?

Because you can't train and operate models at scale with ideology. Costs money and compute. Without funding and compute, OpenAI is a bunch of smart folks with laptops talking AI safety in an office until the cashflow dries up.

People who want to get paid or are loyal to Sam will follow Sam. Microsoft is clearly behind Sam. "Whoever holds the gold makes the rules."

EDIT: gkoberger said it far better, and captures the value beyond the physical and fiat components of the power struggle: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38337782

"I don't think he's on his own. All those people he helped in the past have come out to support him. Almost his entire company (minus the board) has publicly supported him. His team is currently hosting him at the office with hopes to reinstate him. The CEO who temporarily replaced him has publicly and privately supported his return. OpenAI's investors are backing him. His cofounder quit in solidarity.

Turns out the secret to getting through something like this is to simply have spent the past 15+ years genuinely helping everyone you've ever come across."

Re: OpenAI investors try to get Sam Altman back as CEO after sudden firing

#32

Post by bogwog »

I don't follow OpenAI or SV news all that much. Is this guy really that critical to the company? I thought Ilya Sutskever was the genius? Is this a non-compete thing, where they're scared Altman will take company secrets to a competitor, or is this dude actually a major factor in the company's success (and not just a lucky bystander)?

Re: OpenAI investors try to get Sam Altman back as CEO after sudden firing

#35

Post by crazygringo »

gumballindie wrote: post #6
floydnoel wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

No, not necessarily any more than Steve Jobs returning to Apple made it worse.

What’s up with comparing altman to steve jobs? He’s well behind him on the scale of leadership, inspiration, vision, and not to mention he had little to no contribution to ai, other than a crypto style aggressive marketing campaign, sprinkled with fud fomo and gaslighting.

I think you're reading into it too much.

It's not a comparison of personal talent.

It's simply the best known case of a highly visible CEO of a popular, groundbreaking company being ousted by the board.

So the comparison is natural. Apple and OpenAI are definitely similarly groundbreaking companies in the eye of the consumer.

Re: OpenAI investors try to get Sam Altman back as CEO after sudden firing

#36

Post by CPLX »

toomuchtodo wrote: post #31
CPLX wrote: post #30

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the left corner, Microsoft and the guy that founded Loopt. In the right corner the company that created and still completely controls GPT-4. Why are you so sure about who wins this face off?

Because you can't train and operate models at scale with ideology. Costs money and compute. Without funding and compute, OpenAI is a bunch of smart folks with laptops talking AI safety in an office until the cashflow dries up. People who want to get paid or are loyal to Sam will follow Sam. Microsoft is clearly behind Sam. "Whoever holds the gold makes the rules." EDIT: gkoberger said it far better, and captures the…

OpenAI has the most valuable new technology product in a generation and it’s already monetized. It’s also a charity and could give a fuck about growth beyond the extent needed to meet their goals.

The idea that Microsoft is somehow the one irreplaceable part of this formula is completely fucking bizzare.

Re: OpenAI investors try to get Sam Altman back as CEO after sudden firing

#37

Post by gkoberger »

rosywoozlechan wrote: post #19

I think Altman must have worked in the past with lots of ycombinator founders to resolve disputes. Then to end up in his own, completely blind-sided and cut off. Nobody is immune to bad founder relationships.

I don't think he's on his own. All those people he helped in the past have come out to support him via heart emojis. Almost his entire company (minus the board) has publicly supported him. His team is currently hosting him at the office with hopes to reinstate him. The CEO who temporarily replaced him has publicly and privately supported his return. OpenAI's investors are backing him. His cofounder quit in solidarity.

Turns out the secret to getting through something like this is to simply have spent the past 15+ years genuinely helping everyone you've ever come across.

Re: OpenAI investors try to get Sam Altman back as CEO after sudden firing

#38

Post by sp332 »

Sutskever has been clashing with Altman and it looks like he orchestrated his firing. Getting him back would almost certainly mean losing the other or even the whole board. Investors have decided which they would prefer to hang on to.

Edit: updated pronouns

Re: OpenAI investors try to get Sam Altman back as CEO after sudden firing

#39

Post by romanhn »

sp332 wrote: post #38

Sutskever has been clashing with Altman and it looks like he orchestrated his firing. Getting him back would almost certainly mean losing the other or even the whole board. Investors have decided which they would prefer to hang on to. Edit: updated pronouns

Ilya is a he, not she

Re: OpenAI investors try to get Sam Altman back as CEO after sudden firing

#40

Post by layer8 »

jeron wrote: post #33
layer8 wrote: post #20

Apparently nothing new since https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38325552 .

That was last afternoon - so the board decided to waffle till Monday?

No, see https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=38337520.
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