Former OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman have found a new home at Microsoft, leading a groundbreaking advanced AI research team. The announcement comes in the wake of Altman’s recent departure from OpenAI last week, where the board dismissed him due to a loss of confidence in his leadership abilities.
Earlier Monday, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella expressed his enthusiasm about the latest additions to the Microsoft family, stating, “We’re extremely excited to share the news that Sam Altman and Greg Brockman, together with colleagues, will join Microsoft to lead a new advanced AI research team. We look forward to moving quickly to provide them with the resources needed for their success.”
The hiring decision follows a weekend of negotiations between Altman and OpenAI, ultimately leading to Altman’s exit from the organization. Altman confirmed his move to Microsoft on social media platform X, reposting Nadella’s announcement with the message “the mission continues.” Nadella hinted at the independence Microsoft grants innovators, emphasizing Altman’s potential to build a unique identity within the company.
On the other hand, Brockman disclosed that Microsoft’s forthcoming advanced AI research team will incorporate pivotal talents from OpenAI. Notably, according to Brockman, director of research, Jakub Pachocki, along with two other top OpenAI employees, are set to join the team. This disclosure heightens the likelihood of further resignations among OpenAI employees expressing discontent with the departures of Altman and Brockman. Some OpenAI employees have even been conveying their sentiment with the message, “OpenAI is nothing without its people” on X.
That said, the developments at OpenAI didn’t stop with Altman’s departure. Emmett Shear, co-founder of Twitch, was named interim CEO, succeeding the firm’s Chief Technology Officer (CTO) Mira Murati. Microsoft’s move to assemble an advanced AI research team coincides with the company’s recent announcement of a custom AI chip designed to train large language models independently.
In response to Altman’s hiring, Worldcoin (WLD) displayed resilience by surging in value after a temporary drop following his departure from OpenAI. On Sunday, the cryptocurrency witnessed a remarkable resurgence, surging by an impressive 23%, reclaiming losses incurred earlier in the week.
At press time, WLD was trading at $2.56, marking a 3.36% increase in value within the last 24 hours. Furthermore, its trading volume has experienced a substantial uptick, skyrocketing by 76% to reach $360 million during the same period, as per CoinMarketCap data.
