If Sam Altman is reinstalled as CEO of OpenAI, he will likely have one person to thank: Satya Nadella.
Some have faulted the Microsoft CEO for allowing the tech giant to become so dependent on Altman’s AI startup without guaranteeing it had at least one seat on OpenAI’s board. But Microsoft has a tremendous amount of leverage in the dramatic whirlwind of events this weekend—far more than any of OpenAI’s other backers.
On Saturday, Altman was reportedly in negotiations to return to OpenAI as CEO, with the OpenAI non-profit board possibly resigning as part of the deal, with much of the impetus coming from Microsoft, with support from other OpenAI investors and company employees. The company’s chief strategy officer Jason Kwon, in a memo obtained by The Information, told staff that the company was “optimistic” Altman and other senior staff who resigned in protest at his abrupt firing could be brought back to the company.
