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We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam to return to OpenAI as CEO

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Re: We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam to return to OpenAI as CEO

#891

Post by jetsetk »

sashank_1509 wrote: post #450
Satam wrote: post #215

Disappointing outcome. The process has conclusively confirmed that OpenAI is in fact not open and that it is effectively controlled by Microsoft. Furthermore, the overwhelming groupthink shows there's clearly little critical thinking amongst OpenAI's employees either. It might not seem like the case right now, but I think the real disruption is just about to begin. OpenAI does not have in its DNA to win, they're too…

> Furthermore, the overwhelming groupthink shows there’s clearly little critical thinking amongst OpenAI’s employees either. Very harsh words for some of the highest paid smartest people on the planet. The employees built GPT-4 the most advanced AI on the planet, what did you build? Do you still claim they’re more deficient in critical thinking compared to you.

There is no comparison to himself in the previous comment. Also, did you measure their IQ to put them on such a pedestal? There are lots of examples for people being great in their niche they invested thousands of hours in, while being total failures in other areas. You could see that with Mr. Sutskever over the weekend. He must be excellent in ML as he dedicated his life to researching this field of knowledge, but he lacks practice in critical thinking in management contexts.

Re: We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam to return to OpenAI as CEO

#892

Post by mcmcmc »

sashank_1509 wrote: post #192

Looks to me like, one pro-board member in Adam d Angelo, one pro Sam in Brett Taylor since they’ve been pushing for him since Sunday so I’m assuming Sam and rest of OpenAI leadership really like him and 1 Neutral in Larry Summers who has never worked in AI and is just a well respected name in general. I’m sure Larry was extensively interviewed and reference checked by both sides of this power struggle before they agr…

Larry Summers is the scary pick here. His views on banking deregulation led to the GFC, and he's had several controversies over racist and sexist positions. Plus he's an old pal of Epstein and made several trips to his island.

Re: We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam to return to OpenAI as CEO

#893

Post by Turing_Machine »

baking wrote: post #761
garrison wrote: post #637

If OpenAI remains a 501(c)(3) charity, then any employee of Microsoft on the board will have a fiduciary duty to advance the mission of the charity, rather than the business needs of Microsoft. There are obvious conflicts of interest here. I don't expect the IRS to be a fan of this arrangement.

My guess is that the non-profit has never gotten this kind of scrutiny now and the new directors are going to want to get lawyers involved to cover their asses. Just imagine their positions when Sam Altman really does something worth firing. I think it was a real mistake to create OpenAI as a public charity and I would be hesitant to step into that mess. Imagine the fun when it tips into a private foundation status.

> I think it was a real mistake to create OpenAI as a public charity and I would be hesitant to step into that mess.

I think it could have worked either as a non-profit or as a for-profit. It's this weird jackass hybrid thing that's produced most of the conflict, or so it seems to me. Neither fish nor fowl, as the saying goes.

Re: We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam to return to OpenAI as CEO

#894

Post by mcmcmc »

astrange wrote: post #363
halfjoking wrote: post #115

Still think this was CIA operation to get OpenAI in hands of US government and big tech. Former Secretary, SalesForce CEO who was board chair of Twitter when infiltrated with FBI [1] and the fall-guy for the coup is the new board? Not one person from the actual company - not even Greg who did nothing wrong??? [1] - https://twitter.com/NameRedacted247/status/16340211499976867... The two think-tank women who made all t…

US companies don't need to be "in the hands of the government", we have rule of law. And Helen Toner was already as much of a fed as you could want; she had exactly the resume a CIA agent would have. (Probably wasn't though.)

By rule of law do you mean rule of lobbyists? Laws don't apply to people with wealth and connections.

Re: We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam to return to OpenAI as CEO

#896

Post by notfed »

fatbird wrote: post #60
siva7 wrote: post #3

Interesting that Adam is still on Board. This hints to Helen being the main perpetrator of the drama?

Or it was recognized that Adam was the instigator and the real power player, and the force that Sam needed to come to an accommodation with. From everything I've heard about Toner, she's a very principled person who lent academic credibility to the board, and was a great figurehead for the non-profit's conscience. Once the veneer was ripped from the non-profit's "controlling" role, she was deadweight and useful only…

Nah, anyone who voted Sam out is in timeout.

Re: We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam to return to OpenAI as CEO

#897

Post by taway1874 »

Some perspective ...

One developer (Ilya) vs. One businessman (Sam) -> Sam wins

Hundreds of developers threaten to quit vs. Board of Directors (biz) refuse to budge -> Developers win

From the outside it looks like developers held the power all along ... which is how it should be.

Re: We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam to return to OpenAI as CEO

#898

Post by fouc »

bradleybuda wrote: post #875
garrison wrote: post #637

If OpenAI remains a 501(c)(3) charity, then any employee of Microsoft on the board will have a fiduciary duty to advance the mission of the charity, rather than the business needs of Microsoft. There are obvious conflicts of interest here. I don't expect the IRS to be a fan of this arrangement.

Major corporate boards are rife with "on paper" conflicts on interest - that's what happens when you want people with real management experience to sit on your board and act like responsible adults. This happens in every single industry and has nothing to do with tech or with OpenAI specifically. In practice, board bylaws and common sense mean that individuals recuse themselves as needed and don't do stupid shit.

OpenAI isn't a typical corporation but a 501(c)(3), so bylaws & protections that otherwise might exist appear to be lacking in this situation.

Re: We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam to return to OpenAI as CEO

#899

Post by rexarex »

taway1874 wrote: post #897

Some perspective ... One developer (Ilya) vs. One businessman (Sam) -> Sam wins Hundreds of developers threaten to quit vs. Board of Directors (biz) refuse to budge -> Developers win From the outside it looks like developers held the power all along ... which is how it should be.

Money won.

Re: We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam to return to OpenAI as CEO

#900

Post by jessenaser »

taway1874 wrote: post #897

Some perspective ... One developer (Ilya) vs. One businessman (Sam) -> Sam wins Hundreds of developers threaten to quit vs. Board of Directors (biz) refuse to budge -> Developers win From the outside it looks like developers held the power all along ... which is how it should be.

Yes, 95% agreement in any company is unprecedented but:

1. They can get equivalent position and pay at the new Microsoft startup during that time, so their jobs are not at risk.

2. Sam approved each hire in the first place.

3. OpenAI is selecting for the type of people who want to work at a non-profit with a goal in mind instead of another company that could offer higher compensation. Mission driven vs profit driven.

Either way on how they got to that conclusion of banding together to quit, it was a good idea, and it worked. And it is a check on power for a bad board of directors, when otherwise a board of directors cannot be challenged. "OpenAI is nothing without its people".

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