Microsoft hires Sam Altman three days after being fired from OpenAI

Microsoft has brought on board Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, co-founders of OpenAI, to spearhead a new advanced AI research team.

This follows a series of intense discussions over three days, subsequent to OpenAI's board's unexpected decision to let go of Altman and consequent protests and departures from the firm, including Brockman.

• New Roles: Altman will serve as the new AI group's Chief Executive at Microsoft. Brockman, along with colleagues Szymon Sidor, Jakub Pachocki, and Aleksander Madry, will also join the team. Microsoft has extended job offers to all OpenAI employees.

• Innovative Space: Satya Nadella, Chief of Microsoft, assures the new team of providing a conducive environment for building independent identities within Microsoft, drawing parallels with GitHub, Mojang Studios, and LinkedIn.

• OpenAI's Future Without Altman: Altman was the public face of OpenAI and his departure from the startup has raised concerns regarding its future progress.

• Microsoft's Investment in OpenAI: Microsoft holds almost 50% ownership of OpenAI and has invested over $10B in it. This investment has significantly boosted Microsoft's AI endeavors.

• OpenAI Board's Decision: OpenAI's board appointed Emmett Shear, former Twitch Chief Executive and Co-founder, as its interim CEO, much to Altman's surprise. The board's actions have been criticized for their lack of transparency.

Moving forward, Microsoft remains dedicated to OpenAI and expresses confidence in their product roadmap and ability to continue innovation. Nadella looks forward to working with Shear and the new leadership team at OpenAI.