Overnight, ex-OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and ex-OpenAI president Greg Brockman gave up their quest to return to OpenAI and agreed to join Microsoft.
The two executives will build “a new advanced AI research team” at Microsoft, according to its CEO Satya Nadella. Many of their former colleagues will likely follow.
The OpenAI board, meanwhile, replaced interim CEO Mira Murati with a new interim CEO, Emmett Shear, the former CEO of Twitch. And in a blink, the craziest weekend in recent tech memory ended. (Unless, somehow, Altman still returns to OpenAI — more below).
Here are eight thoughts about the implications:
OpenAI Diminished
Altman will head to Microsoft, and dozens (or more) of his former OpenAI colleagues will come along.