OpenAI Won't Offer Seats on New Board to Microsoft and Other Investors

JAKARTA - ChatGPT owner OpenAI will not offer seats on its new board to Microsoft and other investors, including Khosla Ventures and Thrive Capital. This was revealed to Reuters on Tuesday, November 28.

In a tumultuous few days last week, OpenAI fired its CEO and founder, Sam Altman, without providing detailed reasons. That has sparked concerns among investors and employees. Altman was later reinstated with the promise of a new board.

Altman's departure sparked confusion about the future of the startup in the midst of an artificial intelligence boom.

The Information first reported the news and said that OpenAI would have a nine-person board going forward.

The three initial directors of the new board — Chairman Bret Taylor, former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers, and Quora CEO Adam D'Angelo — are expected to take up those positions this week.

D'Angelo will be the only remaining director from the old board that fired Altman.

Microsoft, one of OpenAI's biggest backers, has pledged a billion-dollar investment to the company operating ChatGPT, the viral generative AI chatbot.

"We will wait until the board officially announces something," said a Microsoft spokesperson in response to questions about the OpenAI board, as quoted by VOI from Reuters.

OpenAI, Thrive, and Khosla did not immediately respond to requests for comment.