Sam Altman makes a comeback as OpenAI CEO

In a surprising turn of events, Sam Altman will reclaim his position as CEO at OpenAI, just days after his sudden dismissal ignited the tech industry. This development concludes an episode of internal disruption that brought to light the control battles over AI's future.

• Altman is Back: OpenAI announced a preliminary agreement that Altman will be reinstated as CEO, with former president Greg Brockman also returning after resigning in the wake of Altman's initial dismissal.

• Board Overhaul: A new board has been formed, including Bret Taylor, Larry Summers, and Adam D’Angelo, the latter being a holdover from the previous board that had dismissed Altman. D’Angelo's presence ensures representation from the previous board.

• Board Duty: The new board's main task is to vet and appoint an expanded board of up to nine members to reform OpenAI's governance. Microsoft, a key investor, and Altman both seek seats on this expanded board.

• Independent Investigation: Both parties have committed to an external investigation of the whole saga, presumably to be conducted by an independent law firm.

• Shifting Loyalties: The scandal has seen multiple shifts in power and allegiances, including OpenAI’s chief scientist Ilya Sutskever switching sides to support Altman after initially backing his dismissal.

• Interim Status: Interim CEO Emmett Shear had threatened to resign unless he was provided with substantial evidence of Altman's supposed misconduct. Shear, after the announcement of Altman's return, expressed relief and contentment, considering it the best solution for all involved parties.

Despite these developments, insiders suggest that the power struggle at the heart of this situation may not be entirely resolved yet.