Altman's appointment as head of a new Microsoft AI team came as a surprise to many, following his shocking firing from OpenAI. The not-for-profit company's board stated that Altman lacked consistency in his communication with them, but did not provide further details or reasons for his dismissal. Speculation arose when Altman posted a photo of himself wearing an OpenAI guest pass, leading some to believe he may return to the company. However, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella confirmed that Altman would be joining Microsoft to lead their advanced AI research team.

Emmett Shear, the former chief executive of Amazon's streaming platform Twitch, has been appointed as the new interim CEO at OpenAI, replacing Mira Murati. The New York Times reported that Shear's appointment was confirmed by Nadella, who expressed his excitement to work with Shear and OpenAI's new leadership team. Microsoft has made significant investments in OpenAI, with reports suggesting they have invested billions of dollars.

The departure of Altman from OpenAI prompted the resignation of the company's president, Greg Brockman, in a show of support. Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI's chief scientist, reportedly told staff that Altman's behavior and interactions with the board had undermined the company's ability to supervise AI development. This allegedly led to dozens of staff quitting in solidarity.

OpenAI's board of directors released an internal memo defending their decision to remove Altman as CEO. The memo, signed by Adam D'Angelo, Helen Toner, Ilya Sutskever, and Tasha McCauley, stated that Altman's lack of transparency and behavior had eroded the board's trust. The board asserted that Altman's removal was necessary to preserve their ability to execute their responsibilities and advance the company's mission.

Altman's firing surprised the tech industry and OpenAI's investors, including Microsoft, Sequoia Capital, and Thrive Capital. Microsoft, the largest investor in OpenAI, reportedly learned of Altman's exit only a minute before it was publicly announced. The board did not cite specific incidents for Altman's removal but emphasized the importance of honesty and transparency between a CEO and the board.

The situation at OpenAI continues to develop, with no further information or updates provided to investors over the weekend. Altman, on the other hand, wasted no time and began pitching a new AI start-up to investors shortly after his departure from OpenAI. His firing has highlighted a rift within the AI community between those who view AI as a groundbreaking technology and those concerned about the potential dangers of its rapid development.