Sam Altman-Led OpenAI Welcomes Microsoft's GenAI Research VP Following Wave Of Executive Departures

Sebastien Bubeck, the vice president of GenAI research at Microsoft Corporation MSFT is set to join ChatGPT-parent, OpenAI.

What Happened: While Bubeck’s new role at OpenAI remains undisclosed, a Microsoft spokesperson confirmed the move, reported Reuters.

“Sebastian has decided to leave Microsoft to further his work toward developing AGI,” the spokesperson stated, expressing the company’s anticipation to continue their relationship through Bubeck’s work with OpenAI.

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The Information initially reported Bubeck’s departure, stating that most of his coauthors from the research paper on Microsoft’s Phi LLMs—smaller than conventional large language models—are still with the company and intend to keep advancing the models.

This move follows a series of departures from OpenAI, including the exit of longtime chief technology officer Mira Murati in September.

However, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has refuted any connection between these departures and the company’s planned restructuring, the report noted.

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Why It Matters: Bubeck’s move to OpenAI comes at a time when Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI is reportedly showing signs of strain.

Previously, it was reported that OpenAI is moving towards greater autonomy from Microsoft’s cloud services by leasing data centers from Oracle Corp in Texas.

Earlier this month, OpenAI secured $6.6 billion in one of the largest venture capital funding rounds in U.S. history.

This deal values the San Francisco-based startup at a staggering $157 billion, with big-name backers including Thrive Capital, Microsoft, and Nvidia betting on OpenAI's potential to reshape the future.

Image via ChatGPT

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