On Wednesday, as OpenAI's chief technology officer Mira Murati, vice president of research Barret Zoph and chief research officer Bob McGrew all announced that they would leave the companyreports emerged of a major restructuring that could transform the creator of ChatGPT into a profitable multi-billion dollar corporation.
According to sources who spoke to ReutersOpenAI is considering becoming a for-profit that no longer answers to its non-profit board to attract more investors. According to sources, the non-profit arm will still exist.
Sam Altman. Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images
The move was first hinted at in September news of OpenAI's new funding round that can catapult The $86 billion artificial intelligence giant to a a value of 150 billion dollars with $6.5 billion in funding. The valuation depends on whether OpenAI can change its corporate structure to a profitable model like its rivals, Anthropogenic AND xAIsources said at the time.
Related: 'A real growth moment for me': 39-year-old OpenAI CEO says he learned a lot from sacking
If the fundraising round is successful, OpenAI's 39-year-old CEO Sam Altman could get an equity stake — a 7% stake would increase his $2 billion fortune by $10 billion. according to Bloomberg estimatesand do it one of the richest people in the world.
Altman posted on X Wednesday addressing the high-level departures that occurred that day.
“Mira, Bob and Barrett made these decisions independently of each other and amicably, but the timing of Mira's decision was such that it made sense to now do this immediately so we can work on together for a smooth handover to the other. leadership generation,” Altman wrote.
I just posted this note on openai:
Hello everyone –
Mira has been instrumental in the progress and growth of OpenAI over the past 6.5 years; it has been an extremely important factor in our development from an unknown research laboratory to a significant company.
When Mira informed me this morning that…
– Sam Altman (@sama) September 26, 2024
Related: OpenAI continues to lose its co-founders. Only 3 of the 11 are still with the company