|
Toner provided her first detailed account of the backstory
behind the dramatic firing and rehiring last November of
OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman, painting a picture of a manipulative
executive who fostered a "toxic atmosphere".
Toner said one catalyst for Altman's ousting was when two OpenAI
executives reported instances of "psychological abuse" to the
board.
"They were really serious, to the point where they actually sent
us screenshots and documentation of some of the instances they
were telling us about..." she said.
Altman did not respond immediately to a request for comment.
When asked for comment, OpenAI referred to a statement current
OpenAI board chair Bret Taylor provided to "The Ted AI Show"
podcast, which said a review had been conducted into the events
of last November.
"We are disappointed that Miss Toner continues to revisit these
issues...The review concluded that the prior board's decision
was not based on concerns regarding product safety or security,
the pace of development, OpenAI's finances, or its statements to
investors, customers, or business partners."
Altman triumphantly returned to OpenAI four days after he was
fired, after nearly all of OpenAI's then 700-strong staff
threatened to leave and unless the board stepped down and
reinstated him.
On the podcast, Toner attributed Altman's swift return to
employees being told that the company would collapse without
him. Additionally, once a potential return seemed likely,
employees feared retaliation from Altman if they did not support
him, she said.
Microsoft-backed OpenAI kicked off the generative artificial
intelligence craze when it launched the viral ChatGPT chatbot in
2022.
(Reporting by Anna Tong in San Francisco; Editing by Michael
Perry)
[© 2024 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.]
This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Thompson Reuters is solely responsible for this content.
|
|
