Former OpenAI executive reveals shocking truth behind Sam Altman’s firing

In a stunning twist to the saga surrounding Sam Altman’s ouster in 2023, former OpenAI Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever has revealed that the company’s board considered a merger with rival AI startup Anthropic immediately after firing its CEO.

According to newly surfaced deposition testimony from Sutskever, OpenAI’s board began discussing the potential merger just one day after Altman’s abrupt removal.

On November 18, 2023, either board member Helen Toner or Anthropic’s executives initiated contact to explore combining the two AI firms, with Anthropic’s leaders Dario and Daniela Amodei reportedly positioned to take charge of the merged entity.

“They reached out with a proposal to be merged with OpenAI and take over its leadership,” Sutskever testified. “I was very unhappy about it. I really did not want OpenAI to merge with Anthropic.”

Despite his objections, Sutskever said that other board members appeared far more open to the idea, particularly Toner, whom he described as the most supportive.

The talks, however, collapsed quickly due to “practical obstacles,” though Sutskever did not specify what they were.

For those unversed, Altman’s firing on November 17, 2023, shocked Silicon Valley, prompting mass employee backlash and forcing the board into crisis.