The OpenAI Boardroom Coup

On November 17, 2023, OpenAI's four-member board fired Sam Altman without warning. The stated reason — "not consistently candid" — was vague enough to generate immediate suspicion. Greg Brockman resigned in solidarity. Microsoft, which had invested $13 billion in OpenAI, announced it would hire Altman. As employees drafted a mass-resignation letter, Ilya Sutskever — one of the four votes to fire Altman — publicly reversed himself. The board capitulated. Altman returned Tuesday with a new, more commercially aligned board. The whole episode lasted five days and left OpenAI more powerful, and its safety-first governance model effectively dismantled.