Sam Altman, the recently fired CEO of OpenAI, is discussing a possible return to the helm of the company behind ChatGPT, although he is also considering starting a new artificial intelligence (AI) firm, a person with knowledge of the matter said on Saturday, citing sources. Reuters agency, News.ro reports.

A day after his board of directors fired him in a surprise move that rocked the tech world, Sam Altman spoke with OpenAI executives about improving the company’s governance structure while also talking to some of OpenAI’s core researchers and others close to him about how he might create new artificial intelligence. company, said the interlocutor quoted by Reuters.

Options for the return of Altman, considered by many to be the epitome of generative artificial intelligence, are being worked out, said the source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because she was not authorized to speak for the parties involved.

OpenAI and Altman did not respond to requests for comment, Reuters reported.

Other sources said OpenAI’s investors, including its biggest backer Microsoft, are discussing “damage control,” including persuading the board to reinstate Sam Altman as CEO, fearing a massive talent drain without him.

Khosla Ventures, one of OpenAI’s early backers, wants Altman to return to OpenAI but “will support him in whatever he does next,” the foundation’s founder Vinod Khosla wrote on X on Saturday.

Microsoft declined to comment. He reportedly owns 49% of the company, while other investors and employees control 49% and 2% is owned by the non-profit parent organization OpenAI.

Emotions ran high Saturday as current and former employees were outraged by Altman’s firing and worried about how the sudden change in management could affect the upcoming $86 billion stock sale.

ChatGPT has caused a global sensation in generative AI technologies

OpenAI, a non-profit organization co-founded by billionaire Elon Musk, launched ChatGPT on November 30 last year, creating a global sensation for the generative artificial intelligence technology that has quickly become the world’s fastest growing software.

This has sparked a wave of investment and announcements across industries to use artificial intelligence to improve everything from financial services and healthcare to entertainment and media.

By learning from large amounts of data, generative AI can create human-like content, helping users compose articles, complete research assignments, and even write entire novels.

Since the launch of ChatGPT, regulators have been scrambling to catch up, with the European Union revising its AI law and the US scrambling to regulate AI.

By Saturday, some shocked employees were considering quitting if Altman was not reinstated by the end of the weekend, the source said.

Others have expressed support for joining Altman to build the company, a third person familiar with the matter said.

Former OpenAI president Greg Brockman, who said he left OpenAI after Altman’s firing on Friday, is expected to join any effort, according to Information, which previously reported on the possible new deal, citing a person familiar with the matter.

Brockman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

OpenAI did not respond to a request for comment.

Some OpenAI researchers, including Shimon Sidor, have left the company amid the CEO change, but it’s unclear whether Sidor and others will join Altman’s new firm, two people familiar with the situation said. Sidor confirmed his resignation.

Altman and former Apple design chief Jony Ive discussed creating a new hardware device for AI, Information reported in September. The publication wrote that SoftBank CEO Masayoshi Son took part in the discussions.

Altman’s firing was due to “failures in communication” and not “wrongdoing,” Chief Operating Officer Brad Lightkop wrote in an internal company memo on Saturday seen by Reuters.

The Verge previously reported that OpenAI’s board was in discussions with Altman about returning to the CEO role.

Forbes reported on Saturday that investors plan to reinstate Altman as CEO.

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