OpenAI Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati and 2 other execs are...
Executive Departures at OpenAI
A high-ranking executive at OpenAI, Mira Murati, who served as the company's interim CEO during a period of turmoil, has announced her departure from the artificial intelligence company. In a written statement shared on Wednesday, Murati expressed that after much reflection, she has made the difficult decision to leave OpenAI to create the time and space for her own exploration.
CEO Sam Altman also announced the departure of two other top executives, Chief Research Officer Bob McGrew and research leader Barret Zoph. Altman mentioned that these decisions were made independently of each other and amicably.
Recent Departures and Company Changes
These recent departures add to the list of high-profile exits from OpenAI, a San Francisco-based organization originally established as a nonprofit research laboratory and renowned for developing ChatGPT. OpenAI's president and co-founder, Greg Brockman, announced a sabbatical until the end of the year. Additionally, co-founder John Schulman departed for rival Anthropic, while another co-founder, Ilya Sutskever, left to start his own AI company earlier this year.
Amidst these departures, AI safety has also been a point of contention at OpenAI. Following Sutskever's exit, Jan Leike, co-leader of the safety team, resigned and criticized the company for prioritizing product development over safety measures.
Leadership Changes and Company Culture
In her farewell message, Mira Murati expressed fondness for OpenAI, describing it as a leader in AI innovation. CEO Sam Altman acknowledged the natural turnover that occurs in fast-growing companies, emphasizing that while the abrupt changes were not conventional, OpenAI operates differently.
Last year, Murati was thrust into the role of interim CEO following Altman's dismissal by the board of directors, which led to industry upheaval. Despite subsequent leadership transitions, Altman was eventually reinstated as CEO with the board undergoing significant changes.
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