Emmett Shear, the former CEO of Twitch, has been named the interim CEO of OpenAI following the removal of founding CEO Sam Altman, as reported by The Information.
Altman’s dismissal, reportedly due to friction with board members, especially chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, has left the future direction of the renowned AI company uncertain.
OpenAI, known for developing the widely-used AI chatbot ChatGPT, has not provided immediate comments, leaving stakeholders in suspense.
The swift decision to appoint Shear as Altman’s replacement came amidst mixed reactions from employees when CTO Mira Murati was initially named the temporary CEO. Investors also urged the board to reconsider Altman’s termination. Bloomberg reported that the board’s choice of Shear defied calls to reinstate Altman.
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Emmett Shear: From Twitch Co-founder to Interim CEO at OpenAI
Emmett Shear co-founded Twitch, a live-streaming platform acquired by Amazon in 2014 for nearly $1 billion. After a 16-year tenure at Twitch, Shear stepped down as CEO in March, citing the birth of his first child. Despite his background in Silicon Valley and shared history with Altman, who both served as part-time partners for startup incubator Y Combinator in 2011, Shear has expressed concerns about the risks associated with rogue sentient AI.
While describing Shear as a techno-optimist, a former Twitch spokesperson noted his passion for benefiting the many over the few, aligning with his track record at Twitch. Concerns about the potential dangers of AI have been voiced by Shear, emphasizing the urgency of addressing this “big problem.”
Altman’s Departure and the Divide in AI Development
The departure and attempted return of Altman have raised questions about OpenAI’s governance and future trajectory. Investors, including major partner Microsoft, which has invested $13 billion in the company, advocate for Altman’s reinstatement. Altman’s fundraising strategies and perceived divergence from the mission of ensuring safe AI development have sparked internal debates within the board.
OpenAI, led by Altman, secured $10 billion in funding from Microsoft this year and unveiled GPT-4 Turbo. However, concerns within the board about Altman’s fundraising strategies and potential risks associated with advancing AI technology have led to internal discussions. Altman’s achievements, including becoming the first-ever recipient of Indonesia’s 10-year Golden Visa, add another layer to the evolving narrative of OpenAI’s leadership changes.
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