Sam Altman Feels 'Selfishly Good' After Being Briefly Fired From OpenAI: 'Very Nice To Feel Like The Company Will Be Totally Fine Without Me'

After a brief but tumultuous firing, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is back in his role and expressing relief and satisfaction about his return to the company.

What Happened: A Business Insider report revealed that Altman felt “selfishly good” about the firing episode, stating that it proved OpenAI could function well without his presence.

“I selfishly feel good because either I picked great leaders or I mentored them well. It’s very nice to feel like the company will be totally fine without me, and the team is ready and has leveled up.”

See Also: ‘It’s Repulsive To Me’: AI Expert Timnit Gebru Says She’d Rather Go Back To Google That Fired Her Than Join OpenAI Board

Upon his return, Altman expressed initial feelings of hurt and defiance, which he soon overcame due to his deep love for the company and commitment to its growth. He was also pleased to return without feeling indispensable to the company’s survival. Regarding the reasons for his firing, Altman chose not to comment, stating that an independent review would be conducted by the new board.

Why It Matters: Altman was surprisingly ousted from OpenAI on Nov. 17, when the board voted against him, accusing him of not being consistently candid. However, he was reinstated just five days later following threats from almost all staff members to quit if the board wasn’t removed and Altman wasn’t reinstated.

The firing of Altman was reportedly not precipitated by a letter about a super AI breakthrough at OpenAI, despite rumors to the contrary. An OpenAI spokesperson denied the claims that a significant AI discovery led to Altman’s dismissal. The report had raised concerns, with Tesla Inc. CEO Elon Musk describing it as "Extremely concerning!".

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