Key OpenAI Executive Departs Following CEO Sam Altman's Removal
The departure of OpenAI's chief scientist and co-founder, who played a pivotal part in the brief removal of CEO Sam Altman in November, was revealed as he announced his exit from the company on Tuesday.
Ilya Sutskever, OpenAI’s chief scientist and cofounder, announced his departure from the company on Tuesday. In a social media post, he mentioned that after almost a decade, he has decided to leave OpenAI. He expressed excitement for his upcoming project, which holds personal significance and promised to share more details in the future.
Sutskever was a key figure in the eventful dismissal and rehiring of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman last year, a situation that seemed to reinforce Altman's status as a prominent leader in the growing field of artificial intelligence.
The news of Sutskever leaving was made public a day after OpenAI introduced its newest AI model, GPT-4o, during a presentation that left observers impressed with its abilities.
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Jakub Pachocki, who was previously the director of research at OpenAI, will now take over Sutskever’s role at the company, according to OpenAI.
Nearly six months ago, Sutskever gained attention for voting to remove Altman as chief executive and chairman of the board. CNN contributor Kara Swisher reported that Sutskever was worried that Altman had advanced AI technology too quickly.
Days after Altman was removed from his position, Sutskever had a change of heart. He signed a letter along with other employees, urging the board to step down and requesting Altman to be reinstated.
Altman's absence did not last long. Just five days after being fired, Altman made a comeback as the CEO of the company. Sutskever publicly apologized for his involvement in the internal conflict.
Sutskever expressed remorse for his involvement in the board's decisions in a statement made in November. He clarified that his actions were never meant to harm OpenAI, as he values the company and is committed to working towards reconciliation.
OpenAI has been making progress with its popular product, ChatGPT, despite the challenges. The newest version, unveiled on Monday, will be accessible to users for free. This updated model transforms ChatGPT into a virtual assistant capable of engaging in live conversations.
Sutskever was a key figure in OpenAI's success in the field of AI. In 2019, Altman, Sutskever, and Greg Brockman came together to establish OpenAI LP, a for-profit division under the umbrella of the nonprofit organization. The company's valuation reached $90 billion a few years later.
Altman expressed his sadness at the announcement of Sutskever's departure.
“I am forever grateful for what he did here and committed to finishing the mission we started together,” Altman said.
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Ilya Sutske
