Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

OpenAI board in discussions with Sam Altman to return as CEO

theverge.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

981–990 of 1001 posts

Re: OpenAI board in discussions with Sam Altman to return as CEO

#981

Post by t0mas88 »

jkaplowitz wrote: post #944
xivzgrev wrote: post #727

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I am just baffled for so many reasons. Why is the board reversing course? They said they lost confidence in Altman - that’s true whether lots of people quit or not. So it was bullshit Why did the board not foresee people quitting en masse? I’m sure some of it is loyalty to Sam and Greg but it’s also revolting at how they were suddenly fired Why did the interim CEO not warn Ilya about the above? Sure it’s a promotion…

> I’m sure some of it is loyalty to Sam and Greg but it’s also revolting at how they were suddenly fired Funny how people only use words like revolting for sudden firings of famous tech celebrities like Sam with star power and fan bases. When tech companies suddenly fire ordinary people, management gets praised for being decisive, firing fast, not wasting their time on the wrong fit, cutting costs (in the case of pub…

That comparison doesn't make much sense, they didn't fire the CEO to reduce costs.

What looks quite unprofessional (at least on the outside) here is that a surprise board meeting was called without two of the board members present, to fire the CEO on the spot without talking to him about change first. That's not how things are done in a professional governance structure.

Then there is a lot of fallout that any half competent board member or C-level manager should have seen coming. (Who is this CTO that accepted the CEO role like that on Thursday evening and didn't expect this to become a total shit show?)

All of it reads more like a high school friends club than a multi billion dollar organization. Totally incompetent board on every dimension. Makes sense they step down ASAP and more professional directors are selected.

Re: OpenAI board in discussions with Sam Altman to return as CEO

#983

Post by t0mas88 »

lewhoo wrote: post #850
meetpateltech wrote: post #568

Update on the OpenAI drama: Altman and the board had till 5pm to reach a truce where the board would resign and he and Brockman would return. The deadline has passed and mass resignations expected if a deal isn’t reached ASAP https://twitter.com/alexeheath/status/1726055095341875545

reach a truce where the board would resign and he and Brockman would return That's a funny use of the word truce.

I guess the alternative is more like a war where Altman and Brockman form a new for profit company that kills OpenAI?

Re: OpenAI board in discussions with Sam Altman to return as CEO

#984

Post by roguas »

hn_throwaway_99 wrote: post #151
skygazer wrote: post #26

Man, the board already looked reckless and incompetent, but this solidifies the appearance. You can do crazy ill-advised things, but if you unwaveringly commit, we’ll always wonder if you’re secretly a genius. But when you immediately backtrack, we’ll know you were a fool all along.

Dude, everyone already thinks the board did a crazy ill-advised thing. They're about to be the board of like a 5 person or so company if they double down and commit. To be honest I hate takes like yours, where people think that acknowledging a mistake (even a giant mistake) is a sign of weakness. A bigger sign of weakness in my opinion is people who commit to a shitty idea just because they said it first, despite all…

Acknowledging a mistake so early seems like a sign of weakness to me. Hold the hot rod for at least a minute, see if the initial pain goes away. After that acknowledgement may begin to look like part of learning and get more acceptance, rather than: oopsie doodl, revert now!!!

Re: OpenAI board in discussions with Sam Altman to return as CEO

#985

Post by suggala »

The current deal with MSFT is cut by Sam is in such a way that Microsoft has huge leverage. Exclusive access, exclusive profit. And after all the profit limit is reached OpenAI sill need to be sold to msft to survive. This is like a worst deal for OpenAI whose goal is to do stuff open source way and it can’t do so due to this deal. If it is not for the MSFt deal, OpenAI could have open sourced and might have resorted to crowdsourcing which might have helped humanity. Also, quickly reaching profit goals is only good for MSFT. There is no need to actually send money to OpenAI team, just provide operating expenses with 25% profit and take 75% profit. OpenAI has built a great software due to years of work and is being simply being milked by MSFt when the time comes for taking profit.

And SAM allowed all this under his nose. Making sure OpenAI is ripe for MSFT takeover. This is a back channel deal for takeover. What about the earth donors who donated with humanity goal whose funding made it all possible?

I am not sure Sam has any contribution to the OpenAI Software but he gives the world an impression that he owns that and built the entire thing by himself and not giving any attribution to fellow founders.

Re: OpenAI board in discussions with Sam Altman to return as CEO

#986

Post by suggala »

The current deal with MSFT is cut by Sam is in such a way that Microsoft has huge leverage. Exclusive access, exclusive profit. And after all the profit limit is reached OpenAI sill need to be sold to msft to survive. This is like a worst deal for OpenAI whose goal is to do stuff open source way and it can’t do so due to this deal. If it is not for the MSFt deal, OpenAI could have open sourced and might have resorted to crowdsourcing which might have helped humanity. Also, quickly reaching profit goals is only for good for MSFT. There is no need to actually send money to OpenAI team, just provide operating expenses with 25% profit and take 75% profit. OpenAI has built a great software due to years of work and is being simply being milked by MSFt when the time comes for taking profit. And SAM allowed all this under his nose. Making sure OpenAI is ripe for MSFT takeover. This is a back channel deal for takeover. What about the early donors who donated with humanity goal whose funding made it all possible? I am not sure Sam has any contribution to the OpenAI Software but he gives the world an impression that he owns that and built the entire thing by himself and not giving any attribution to fellow founders.

Re: OpenAI board in discussions with Sam Altman to return as CEO

#987

Post by suggala »

suggala wrote: post #986

The current deal with MSFT is cut by Sam is in such a way that Microsoft has huge leverage. Exclusive access, exclusive profit. And after all the profit limit is reached OpenAI sill need to be sold to msft to survive. This is like a worst deal for OpenAI whose goal is to do stuff open source way and it can’t do so due to this deal. If it is not for the MSFt deal, OpenAI could have open sourced and might have resorted…

By the way, this product doesn’t need sales people. It sells itself. What is the point of a sales guy leading?

This company should be lead by research team not product team.

Re: OpenAI board in discussions with Sam Altman to return as CEO

#989

Post by dbuser99 »

blazespin wrote: post #529
airstrike wrote: post #57

This makes sense. The board thinks they're calling the shots, but the reality is the people with the money are the ones calling the shots, always. Boards are just appointed by shareholders aka investors aka capital holders to do their bidding. The capped-profit / non-profit structure muddles that a little bit, but the reality is that entity can't survive without the funding that goes into the for-profit piece And if…

The staff calls the shots. The money will go wherever the talent is.

The talent also goes wherever the money is

Re: OpenAI board in discussions with Sam Altman to return as CEO

#990

Post by markshepard »

AGI recommends the following,

1. **Transparent Governance**: OpenAI should strive for greater transparency in its governance structure. This includes clearly outlining the roles and responsibilities of the nonprofit board versus the for-profit subsidiary, and how decisions impact each entity. This would help mitigate misunderstandings and conflicts of interest.

2. **Balanced Board Composition**: The board should be restructured to balance the interests of various stakeholders, including investors, employees, and the broader AI community. This can be achieved by having a diverse set of members with expertise in technology, business, ethics, and law.

3. **Stakeholder Engagement**: Regular engagement with key stakeholders, including investors like Microsoft and employees, is crucial. This ensures that major decisions, such as leadership changes, are made considering their potential impact on all parties involved.

4. **Leadership Stability**: To address concerns about leadership and company direction, it may be beneficial to have a stable leadership team that aligns with OpenAI's mission and values. This could involve a re-evaluation of Sam Altman's role and contributions, considering the interests of both the nonprofit and for-profit entities.

5. **Strategic Communication**: OpenAI should develop a strategic communication plan to address public concerns and market reactions. This includes clear messaging about its mission, decisions, and future plans, which can help maintain public trust and investor confidence.

6. **Ethics and Safety Focus**: Given the transformative potential of AI, OpenAI should continue to prioritize AI ethics and safety. This commitment should be evident in its operations, research directions, and partnerships.

7. **Long-Term Vision Alignment**: Finally, aligning the long-term vision of OpenAI with the interests of its stakeholders, including the global community it aims to serve, is essential. This involves balancing profitability with ethical considerations and societal impact.

By implementing these strategies, OpenAI can navigate its current challenges while staying true to its mission of developing AI in a safe and beneficial manner.

Post reply on HN