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In today’s big article, we examine the truth behind OpenAI employees threatening to quit their startups amid Sam Altman’s ouster.
What’s on deck:
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big story
open illusion
“It’s not a lie…if you can believe it.”
–George Costanzaan OpenAI employee (probably)
The reason OpenAI employees threatened to quit during Sam Altman’s firing was the kind of loyalty employees rarely show to their bosses.
Actually, it was a bit of a bluff.
The entire company signed a letter saying they would defer to Microsoft if Altman did not return, but no one Really Current and former OpenAI staffers told Business Insider’s Kari Hayes, Ashley Stewart and Darius Rafyan that’s what they wanted to do.
OpenAI employees weren’t the only ones distorting the truth. Insiders say Microsoft considered hiring OpenAI employees an absolute last resort.
One of the problems for OpenAI employees joining Microsoft was that they didn’t have a great impression of working in so-called “legacy” technology. OpenAI staff “think of themselves as innovators who fundamentally change the world,” a former OpenAI employee told BI.
But, as is often the case, the real problem was money. A takeover bid was imminent, giving employees the chance to make a fortune by selling their existing vested shares to outside investors. A strike would ruin that plan.
news of OpenAI employee bluff This is the latest crack in Altman’s façade.
Mr. Altman’s fall from grace and his return to power have prompted much speculation about the power he is currently perceived to hold. (When news of his return broke, I suggested he was “certainly one of the most untouchable executives in the world now.”)
But as BI’s Alistair Barr pointed out, Altman’s public statements after his return to OpenAI tell a different story. He asserted that OpenAI is “perfectly fine without me,” adding that its management team is “clearly prepared to run the company without me.”
This sentiment, combined with the revelation that OpenAI employees were not truly unwavering supporters of Altman, paints the events of the past few weeks in a very different light.
Allister said the OpenAI drama has also forced companies to make sure they’re not relying solely on the startup. The timing is not ideal for his OpenAI, as major technology companies have become aggressive in deploying AI.
So while OpenAI’s employees may have pulled off a massive bluff, the rest of the industry now knows what they’re talking about.
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Silicon Valley’s new mantra. We’ve moved away from Mark Zuckerberg’s “move fast and break things” philosophy. Well, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s new maxim begins with, “Move faster. Slow everywhere justifies slow everywhere.”
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In other news
What happened today
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Video Game’s Game Awards will be held tonight in Los Angeles. Nominated games include Resident Evil 4, Super Mario Bros. Wonder, and Viewfinder.
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Happy birthday, Sara Bareilles. Larry Bird, Terrell Owens, Emily Browning, and Pete Alonso were also born on this day.
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Today’s earnings: Broadcom, Lululemon, DocuSign, etc.
for bookmarks
conversation starter
“I spent a month striking up conversations with 10 strangers to gain confidence in my dating life.” Their main points are “Hello” and “How are you?” It’s not a conversation starter.
Insider Today Team: Dan DeFrancesco, senior editor and anchor in New York City; Diamond Naga Siu, senior reporter in San Diego. Hallam Block, editor, lives in London. Lisa Ryan, editor-in-chief, lives in New York.
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