OpenAI to announce new CEO following dismissal of co-founder

OpenAI is set to appoint Emmett Shear as its interim chief executive, only 48 hours after co-founder Sam Altman was fired. The decision to dismiss Altman was made by the board, who stated their loss of confidence in his leadership. Mira Murati, the company's chief technology officer, was selected as the interim CEO in the immediate aftermath of Altman's firing. However, it now appears that Shear will be taking over as the new head of the company. Altman played a significant role in launching OpenAI, the firm responsible for creating the popular ChatGPT bot. Initially, there were rumors that Altman might return due to backlash from employees and investors. However, OpenAI's board released an internal memo on Sunday affirming their support for the decision to remove Altman. The memo stated that the board firmly stands by their choice as it aligns with the mission of OpenAI. The BBC has reached out to Shear and OpenAI for comments on the matter. Shear, former CEO and co-founder of video streaming service Twitch, possesses a unique combination of skills, expertise, and relationships that are predicted to drive OpenAI forward, according to the memo sent to the company's staff. Altman's dismissal was attributed to his alleged lack of transparency with the board, hindering their ability to fulfill their responsibilities. However, the specifics of this lack of transparency were not disclosed by the board. Altman's removal as CEO sent shockwaves across the industry, as he is considered one of the most influential figures in the rapidly growing generative AI field. Silicon Valley executives, including former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, expressed support for Altman and praised his contributions to the industry. The global reaction to Altman's firing and concerns that he might establish a competing company and poach OpenAI's top talent could have prompted the board's decision. Altman posted a photo of himself at the company's headquarters following his dismissal, generating further attention. Reports indicated that his firing raised concerns among current and former employees about a forthcoming $86 billion share sale. OpenAI's venture capitalist backers and Microsoft, who holds a $10 billion stake in the company and has integrated its technology into its applications, are also believed to have advocated for Altman's return. Seattle, where Microsoft is headquartered, experienced some restless nights due to the situation. OpenAI is considered a successful company, attracting substantial investments, and its ChatGPT bot, launched nearly a year ago, has millions of users. Altman played a crucial role in the company's ascent and is often regarded as a representative of the industry as a whole. He testified before a US Congressional hearing on the opportunities and risks of new technology and appeared at the world's first AI Safety Summit in the UK in November.