The most shocking news of the day is undoubtedly the announcement from OpenAI, the developer of ChatGPT. In the early hours of today, OpenAI dropped a bombshell, stating that the CEO and co-founder, Sam Altman, will step down from the position of CEO and leave the board!

Furthermore, the statement mentions that Mira Murati, the Chief Technology Officer of OpenAI, will immediately assume the role of interim CEO until the board identifies a successor for the future.

"Mira Murati, the company’s chief technology officer, will serve as interim CEO, effective immediately."

The Reason for  the Termination

The statement indicates that Altman's resignation was reached following deliberation by the board of directors.

"Mr. Altman’s departure follows a deliberative review process by the board, which concluded that he was not consistently candid in his communications with the board, hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities. The board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI."

Altman’s Response

This morning (the 18th), at around 6 am, Altman himself expressed his passion for his time at OpenAI and pledged to disclose his future plans on X.

Another Co-founder Announces Resignation

The reputation of OpenAI is mentioned,

"As a part of this transition, Greg Brockman will be stepping down as chairman of the board and will remain in his role at the company, reporting to the CEO."

However, Greg Brockman, the co-founder and president of OpenAI, also expressed earlier on X that, upon seeing today's news, he has submitted his resignation to the board.

The Impacts

Worldcoin Plummeted More Than 11% in the Last 24 Hours

Additionally, noteworthy is the impact of this news on Worldcoin (WLD), a cryptocurrency project co-founded by Sam Altman.

The price of Worldcoin experienced a rapid decline of 11% to a low of $1.868 early this morning. As of the deadline, it is reported at $1.941, reflecting a 12% decrease in the past 24 hours.

Microsoft and OpenAI Are Not Affected

As the largest financial supporter and business partner of OpenAI, having previously invested $13 billion and holding a 49% stake in the company, Microsoft has responded to this news. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella posted on the X platform this morning.

Major Personnel Changes at OpenAI

According to the latest report from The Information, insiders have revealed that three senior researchers at OpenAI have resigned.

They are Jakub Pachocki, the Research Director of the company; Aleksander Madry, the leader of the team assessing AI potential risks; and Szymon Sidor, a researcher who has been with the company for seven years.

This personnel shake-up marks a significant development.

Opponent's Catching Up

In summary, Altman's departure marks a significant turning point for OpenAI. This change may impact OpenAI's future fundraising capabilities and brand image.

With internal personnel changes involving the dismissal of many senior executives, it is inevitable that internal operations will be affected. They need to make prompt adjustments and plans to address these changes.

Meanwhile, Altman's counterpart, Elon Musk, who founded xAI, and competitors like Google and Microsoft are believed to capitalise on this opportunity to catch up in the AI race.

On a lighter note, some internet users humorously claim that Altman can hear Musk's laughter even in New Zealand.