- OpenAI expands board, reinstates Sam Altman as CEO.
- Probe cleared Altman’s conduct, found board-CEO trust breakdown.
- New governance guidelines aim to strengthen oversight.
OpenAI has announced the appointment of three new board members: Sue Desmond-Hellmann, former CEO of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation; Nicole Seligman, ex-Sony Entertainment president; and Fidji Simo, CEO of Instacart.
The expanded board brings diversity in terms of their backgrounds, with Desmond-Hellmann’s experience in medicine and nonprofit leadership, Seligman’s legal and corporate governance expertise, and Simo’s technology and executive management background.
The new members will work closely with current board members Adam D’Angelo, Larry Summers, and Bret Taylor, as well as CEO Sam Altman and OpenAI’s senior management.
Outcome of the “Probe”
Altman’s reinstatement follows an investigation by the law firm WilmerHale, which concluded that his ouster was a result of a breakdown in the relationship and loss of trust between Altman and the prior board, not due to concerns regarding product safety, security, or finances.
The probe, which involved dozens of interviews and a review of thousands of documents, found that the prior board acted within its right to terminate Altman, but his conduct did not mandate removal.
In light of the investigation, OpenAI will adopt new corporate governance guidelines, including strengthening its conflict of interest policy, creating a whistleblower hotline, and establishing additional board committees, such as a mission and strategy committee.
Board chair expresses confidence in leadership
Bret Taylor, OpenAI’s current board chair, expressed confidence in Altman and President Greg Brockman’s leadership, stating, “We have unanimously concluded that Sam and Greg are the right leaders for OpenAI.
We recognize the magnitude of our role in stewarding transformative technologies for the global good.”
