As previously reported, OpenAI CEO and co-founder Sam Altman has been removed from his own company after the board accused him of “not being consistently honest in his communications.”
Now more than 500 employees of the OpenAI company have said they will walk out unless ousted CEO Altman is reinstated and the board resigns, Sky News reports.
Of the approximately 700 OpenAI employees, 505 threatened to quit and defect to Microsoft in a letter,
after being assured that the tech giant has a job for them.
The letter was also signed by key members of management, including former interim CEO Mira Murati, who was replaced on Monday morning.
The process by which you fired Sam Altman and removed Greg Brockman from the board endangered our work and undermined our mission and our company
says the letter.
The employees are also requesting the appointment of two independent board members to the board of directors in addition to the reinstatement of Altman and Brockman. On Monday morning, Microsoft hired Altman and company president Greg Brockman for a new artificial intelligence research project.
Microsoft shares hit a record high following the news: they rose 1.4 percent on Monday morning.
Tags: Index TechScience OpenAIs employees threaten defect Microsoft
