In a surprising turn of events, OpenAI’s co-founder and chief scientist Ilya Sutskever has officially announced his departure from the tech giant, months after the tumultuous failed coup against CEO Sam Altman.
Sutskever’s decision to leave comes after a series of upheavals within the company, culminating in the failed attempt to remove Altman from his position. Initially siding with the faction seeking Altman’s ousting, Sutskever later reversed his stance, only to ultimately depart from the company.
The Verge reported on the departure, highlighting the social media announcements made by both Sutskever, aged 37, and Altman, aged 39. Sutskever took to X to express his departure, stating, “After almost a decade, I have made the decision to leave OpenAI.” He hinted at an upcoming project, promising further details in due time.
Altman, on the other hand, expressed sadness over Sutskever’s departure, acknowledging his immense contributions to the company. Altman praised Sutskever as one of the greatest minds of their generation and a close friend, despite their recent differences. He also announced Jakub Pachocki as Sutskever’s successor, citing Pachocki’s role in spearheading crucial projects like GPT-4 and OpenAI Five.
In the wake of Sutskever’s departure, OpenAI also witnessed the resignation of Jan Leike, who led the Superalignment team, tasked with managing more powerful AI systems. Leike’s departure marks another significant change within the company, as John Schulman steps in to fill his shoes.
Schulman, another OpenAI co-founder, aligned himself with Altman during the failed coup, signaling a shift in leadership dynamics within the organization. With these changes, OpenAI braces itself for a new chapter, navigating through the aftermath of internal strife while continuing its mission in the field of AI research and development.
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