At an all-hands meeting, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman denied claims of receiving a “giant equity stake” in the company and stated that there are no current plans for him to do so. However, investors have raised concerns about Altman not having equity in the company, which he co-founded almost nine years ago. The board of OpenAI has discussed potentially compensating Altman with equity, but no decisions have been made yet.
The board is also considering restructuring the company to a for-profit business, while maintaining the nonprofit segment as a separate entity. Several key executives have recently announced their departures, including the CTO, research chief, and research vice president. Altman stated that these departures are not related to the potential restructuring, but rather individuals ready for new chapters in their lives.
OpenAI, valued at more than $150 billion in a funding round led by Thrive Capital and including investment from Tiger Global and backed by Microsoft, has been experiencing hypergrowth since 2022. However, the company has faced controversy and executive departures, with concerns from employees about the rapid growth impacting safety and operations.
Altman, who was briefly ousted but quickly reinstated in 2021, emphasized that the recent departures are not related to the restructuring plans. Overall, OpenAI is navigating through organizational changes and trying to ensure a smooth transition for the company and its employees.
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