Microsoft has announced the formation of a new advanced AI research team, led by former OpenAI executive director Sam Altman. Altman, who will be the CEO of the new laboratory, will be joined by other former executives and workers from OpenAI, including Greg Brockman. Their departure from OpenAI has left the company with vacant positions and raised concerns among investors, employees and the technology industry as a whole.
Altman’s exit from OpenAI was a result of a communication issue as well as concerns about leadership at the company. Initially, a former technology director was chosen to replace him but ultimately decided to align with Altman and left the position vacant. Negotiations did not result in a return to OpenAI for Altman or his team.
The departure of Altman from OpenAI has significant implications for both companies. Microsoft has heavily invested in OpenAI, including integrating its technologies such as ChatGPT and DALL-E into its search engine Bing. Losing Altman and his team would pose a risk for Microsoft and could result in competition from rival companies.
Despite this setback, Microsoft has secured the talent of Altman and his team, which is considered highly sought-after in the AI field. The open departure from OpenAI has also sparked interest and offers from other organizations, including France’s government, which extended an offer to help develop their capabilities in AI technology.