Sam Altman, CEO of ChatGPT maker OpenAI, fired

Sam Altman, the CEO of OpenAI, the company behind the artificial intelligence platforms ChatGPT and GPT-4, has been dismissed by the board of directors. This dramatic decision by the Microsoft-backed firm marks a significant shift in the tech industry's landscape.

The announcement made on Friday by OpenAI indicated that the board had lost faith in Altman's capability to steer the company effectively. According to a statement released on the company's blog, the decision for this "leadership transition" came after a thorough review process by the board, which found Altman's approach to communicating with them as lacking in transparency, thereby impeding their governance role.

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While expressing gratitude for Altman's contributions to the company, the board emphasised the need for new leadership to guide the company's future endeavors. The reasons behind Altman's departure, however, were not detailed in the statement.

In the interim, Mira Murati, the Chief Technology Officer of OpenAI, has been appointed as the acting CEO. A permanent successor is yet to be identified to lead the $90 billion company.

Following the news of his departure, Altman expressed his sentiments on X, formerly known as Twitter. He reflected on his time at OpenAI as personally transformative and expressed appreciation for working alongside a talented team.

The tech sector has been abuzz with reactions to this surprising news. Eric Schmidt, the former CEO of Google, praised Altman on X, likening him to a "hero" who profoundly impacted the world. Greg Brockman, President of OpenAI and co-founder alongside Altman and Elon Musk, announced his resignation following the revelation of Altman's dismissal. 

Altman rose to prominence with the release of ChatGPT last year, a tool that enthralled and concerned the public with its advanced, human-like responses, although not always accurate. His influence in the tech industry has been significant, with comparisons drawn to J Robert Oppenheimer by New York Magazine and recognition in Time Magazine's list of the 100 most influential people in AI in 2023.