The Shocking Drama at OpenAI Isn't As Stupid As It Looks

The confounding saga of Sam Altman's sudden, shocking expulsion from OpenAI on Friday, followed by last-ditch attempts from investors and loyalists to reinstate him over the weekend, appears to have ended right where it started: with Altman and former OpenAI co-founder/president/board member Greg Brockman out for good. But there's a twist: Microsoft, which has been OpenAI's cash-and-infrastructure backer for years, announced early Monday morning that it was hiring Altman and Brockman "to lead a new advanced AI research team." In a follow-up tweet, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella declared that Altman would become chief executive of this team, which would take the shape of an "independent" entity within Microsoft, operating something like company subsidiaries GitHub and LinkedIn. Notably, per Brockman, this new entity will be led by himself, Altman, and the first three employees who'd quit OpenAI Friday night in protest of how those two had been treated. I'm super excited to have you join as CEO of this new group, Sam, setting a new pace for innovation.