Microsoft hired OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman following his surprise dismissal from the OpenAI company.

Despite demand from Microsoft and other big investors to reinstate Altman, OpenAI has named Emmett Shear, a former CEO of Amazon's streaming network Twitch, its new CEO.

PHOTO | COURTESY Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and Sam Altman

The board of directors of OpenAI fired Altman on Friday, citing fears that he was minimizing the hazards of its technology and steering the business away from its declared objective – charges his successor has refuted.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said on X that Altman "will be joining Microsoft to lead a new advanced AI research team," alongside OpenAI co-founder Greg Brockman and others.

PHOTO | COURTESY Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella 

We remain committed to our partnership with OpenAI and have confidence in our product roadmap, our ability to continue to innovate with everything we announced at Microsoft Ignite, and in continuing to support our customers and partners. We look forward to getting to know Emmett…


"The mission continues," Altman wrote on X, which used to be Twitter.

Altman sprang to prominence last year with the debut of Open AI's artificial intelligence chatbot, which sparked a race to improve AI research and development and billions of dollars spent in the area.

Satya and my top priority remains to ensure Openai continues to thrive


His dismissal prompted several other high-profile exits from the corporation and a reported investor effort to rehire him.