OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman ‘shocked and saddened’ by CEO Sam Altman’s departure

OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman said he is “shocked and saddened” by the company’s board of directors’ decision to fire CEO Sam Altman.

The board said in a press release on Friday that Altman was leaving OpenAI because of his lack of communication with the board. After learning of Atman’s departure, Brockman announced he was quitting as company president based on the board’s decision.

“Sam and I are shocked and saddened by what the board did today,” Brockman wrote just before midnight Friday night on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “Let us first say thank you to all the incredible people who we have worked with at OpenAI, our customers, our investors, and all of those who have been reaching out.”

OpenAI chief technology officer Mira Murati was appointed by the board as the company’s interim CEO until a full-time replacement for Altman is hired.

OPENAI CO-FOUNDER GREG BROCKMAN QUITS AFTER FINDING OUT ABOUT CEO’S DEPARTURE

Brockman said he and Altman are trying to figure out exactly what happened that led to the board’s decision to fire Altman. Brockman also provided a timetable surrounding his and Altman’s departure from the company.

Altman received a text on Thursday night from Ilya Sutskever, an OpenAI co-founder and the company’s chief scientist, asking to speak on Friday at noon, Brockman wrote in his post on X. Altman joined a Google Meet on Friday and nearly the whole board, with the exception of Brockman, was present.

Sutskever informed Altman that he was being fired and that news of his ouster would be made public soon.

Brockman said he received a text from Sutskever at 12:19 p.m. on Friday asking for a quick call. Minutes later, Sutskever sent a Google Meet link and Brockman was told he was being removed from the board but that he was vital to the company and would retain his job with the company.  He was also told of the news that Altman had been fired.

OPENAI CEO SAM ALTMAN STEPS DOWN

The management team was made aware of the news shortly after the calls, except for Murati, who was informed Thursday night, according to Brockman.

“The outpouring of support has been really nice; thank you, but please don’t spend any time being concerned. We will be fine. Greater things coming soon,” Brockman wrote.

Microsoft announced earlier this year it will invest as much as $10 billion in OpenAI, extending collaborations between the two companies to include AI supercomputing and research, while enabling both to independently commercialize the resulting advanced AI technologies.

Fox Business’ Greg Wehner contributed to this report.