The dramatic events of November 2023, when OpenAI’s board attempted to oust CEO Sam Altman, have triggered a mass exodus of top leadership. What followed was not only a brief but explosive battle over the company’s direction but also a wave of resignations that have significantly reshaped the organization’s upper ranks.
Altman’s sudden removal on November 17, 2023, came amid growing tensions over his leadership style, communication practices, and the company’s approach to AI safety. These tensions boiled over after the success of ChatGPT, with internal divisions surfacing over how aggressively OpenAI should pursue commercialization. Although Altman was reinstated just days later following backlash from employees and investors, the damage was done. The fallout has since led to the departure of some of the company’s most influential leaders.
Key figures who have left OpenAI since the Altman crisis include:
- Mira Murati: OpenAI’s former Chief Technology Officer, Murati had been with the company since its early days and briefly served as interim CEO during the board’s failed attempt to oust Altman. She announced her resignation in September 2024, citing a desire for new challenges and opportunities.
- Ilya Sutskever: A co-founder and Chief Scientist, Sutskever played a critical role in OpenAI’s rise but was a vocal critic of Altman’s management, especially regarding the company’s rapid push toward commercialization. He departed in June 2024 to launch a new AI safety venture, Safe Superintelligence.
- Bob McGrew: The Chief Research Officer who had been with OpenAI since 2017, McGrew announced his departure in 2024, saying it was time for a break after contributing to major AI projects, including GPT-4.
- Barret Zoph: Vice President of Research, Post-Training, Zoph joined OpenAI in 2022 and was instrumental in building the company’s post-training AI team. He left in 2024 to pursue personal career growth.
- Lilian Weng: As Vice President of Research and Safety, Weng oversaw OpenAI’s efforts to safeguard AI technologies. After nearly seven years at OpenAI, she announced her departure in September 2024, citing a need for a reset and new opportunities.
- Andrej Karpathy: A founding member of OpenAI who had rejoined the company in 2023, Karpathy announced his departure earlier this year. He has since launched his own AI-focused venture, Eureka Labs.
- Jan Leike: Co-lead of OpenAI’s Superalignment team, Leike left in May 2024 for a role at Anthropic, citing disagreements over OpenAI’s shift in priorities, particularly around AI safety and ethical practices.
These departures have raised alarm over OpenAI’s future, particularly as competitors like Google DeepMind and Anthropic stand to benefit from the company’s instability. Analysts worry that the sudden leadership changes could weaken OpenAI’s competitive edge, especially as the company navigates a shift toward a for-profit model.
The departures reflect broader concerns about OpenAI’s governance and the pressure of balancing rapid technological advancement with ethical responsibilities. Critics, including former board members Helen Toner and Tasha McCauley, have accused Altman of fostering a “toxic culture” and undermining the company’s original mission of AI safety. With so many key leaders gone, OpenAI’s ability to maintain its leadership in AI is now in question.
While the company faces uncertainty, the question remains: can OpenAI recover its footing, or will this leadership crisis permanently alter its future?
