The future role of Ilya Sutskever, a co-founder and chief scientist at OpenAI, is uncertain as he has been notably absent from the company’s San Francisco offices, causing speculation about his position in the wake of CEO Sam Altman‘s return.
What Happened: Sutskever’s presence at OpenAI has significantly reduced this week, following CEO Sam Altman’s controversial return after a board ouster in November, reported Business Insider.
Despite Sutskever’s involvement in many of OpenAI’s major AI breakthroughs, his status within the company remains uncertain. This comes amidst rumors of Sutskever receiving a new title within the company.
A pivotal player in Altman’s contentious departure, Sutskever’s recent absence and engagement of legal counsel, Alex Weingarten of Willkie Farr & Gallagher, have raised eyebrows.
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Why It Matters: The uncertainty surrounding Sutskever’s role at OpenAI can be traced back to the dramatic ousting of the company’s co-founder and CEO, Sam Altman, and President Greg Brockman in November.
This led to a widespread outcry, with 747 of the company’s 770 employees requesting the resignation of the board and reinstatement of Altman and Brockman. Altman was subsequently hired by Microsoft Corp, OpenAI’s largest investor.
Within a week, an agreement was reached to bring Altman back as CEO.
The internal unrest and Sutskever’s role in Altman’s ouster pose potential challenges for OpenAI. Despite this, Sutskever’s contributions to the AI field are highly valued within the company. However, as one former employee noted, once trust is broken, it can be hard to rebuild, indicating potential future difficulties within the company.
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Open AI and Sam Altman Photo via Shutterstock
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