In the TED AI Show podcast, the former OpenAI board member tells her story about the firing of Sam Altman. The words “lies” and “distrust” are heard regularly.

Helen Toner, a former board member of OpenAI, sheds light on her perspective on the resignation of Sam Altman, who later returned, in an interview on the TED AI Show podcast. The dismissal is said to have been based on several lies and the board’s distrust of Altman. However, an independent investigation found that Altman’s behavior “did not warrant his removal.” Toner tells her story and current OpenAI board member Bret Taylor also responds in the podcast.

Trust

According to Toner, the reason for Altman’s dismissal was a breach of trust between the board and the OpenAI CEO. For example, the CEO of OpenAI did not tell the board that he was the owner of the OpenAI Startup Fund. He also allegedly made false statements about the company’s security procedures “on several occasions.”

In addition, Toner states in the interview that she was personally targeted by the CEO after publishing a research paper that Altman did not like. As a result, Altman began spreading lies about Toner to other board members in an attempt to remove her from the board.

Toner himself cites the launch of ChatGPT as the ultimate example of the board having no control over the company. “When ChatGPT was released in November 2022, the board was not informed in advance. We found out about ChatGPT on Twitter,” says Toner.

Fired or not

In November 2023, Altman was pushed aside by his board members after two executives spoke directly to the board about their negative experiences with Altman, who in turn immediately found refuge at Microsoft. OpenAI employees supported Altman and shortly thereafter he was reappointed CEO of OpenAI.

So how did Sam Altman get back into the CEO chair at OpenAI? Toner claims that employees have only two possible scenarios: either resign from the board to reinstate Altman, or watch the company go under, with the second option obviously out of the question for employees.

Independent research

Following Altman’s resignation, OpenAI’s nonprofit board launched an independent investigation that concluded that Altman’s conduct during the failed coup attempt “did not warrant his removal.” That study examined more than 30,000 documents to conclude that Altman and co-founder Greg Brockman are the right leaders for OpenAI.

Further details about what happened in the days following Altman’s firing are not addressed in the podcast. However, current OpenAI CEO Bret Taylor also added a response in the podcast expressing disappointment in Toner, who continues to reiterate these issues:

“The review concluded that the previous board’s decision was not based on concerns about OpenAI’s product safety, pace of development, finances, or its statements to investors, customers, or business partners. In addition, more than 95 percent of employees, including senior management, called for Sam to be reinstated as CEO and for the previous board to resign. Our focus remains on moving forward and pursuing OpenAI’s mission of ensuring that AGI benefits all of humanity,” Taylor concludes.