In a surprising turn of events, OpenAI, the company responsible for the popular chatbot ChatGPT, has parted ways with its CEO and founder, Sam Altman. This sudden development has reverberated throughout the emerging AI industry, leaving many in disbelief.

OpenAI issued a statement citing the results of an internal investigation that revealed Altman’s lack of candor in his communications with the board. The statement read, “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.”

As a consequence of this decision, Mira Murati, OpenAI’s Chief Technology Officer, will step in as interim CEO until a permanent successor is selected.

Altman responded to the news on Twitter, expressing his affection for his time at OpenAI and his admiration for the talented individuals he had the privilege to work with. He hinted at revealing his future plans at a later date.

This announcement comes shortly after OpenAI’s inaugural developer conference held in San Francisco, where Altman played a prominent role as the master of ceremonies. During the event, he unveiled a series of updates to OpenAI’s artificial intelligence tools, including the capacity for developers to create customized versions of ChatGPT. Altman also disclosed that approximately 2 million developers are currently utilizing the platform, and nearly 90% of Fortune 500 companies have adopted these tools for internal use. Impressively, the platform boasts 100 million active users.

ChatGPT, introduced just last year, propelled Altman into the spotlight as a key figure in the burgeoning AI landscape. This technology, known as generative AI, has since been incorporated by Microsoft into its search engine and other applications, while Google introduced its own competitor named “Bard.” Over the past few months, various generative AI tools have emerged, expanding the realm of AI-generated content.

Shortly after its launch, ChatGPT became synonymous with AI itself, with CEOs employing it for drafting emails, individuals creating websites with no coding experience, and it even passing exams in law and business schools.

Despite being a vocal advocate of AI, Altman has also been one of its staunchest critics. Earlier this year, he testified before Congress, characterizing the current AI boom as a pivotal moment. Additionally, Altman joined other tech CEOs in meetings with White House leaders, including Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden, to stress the importance of ethical and responsible AI development. However, some experts and stakeholders urged caution, with Elon Musk and numerous tech leaders calling for a six-month pause in the training of the most powerful AI systems due to perceived risks to society and humanity.

OpenAI has declined to provide further comments regarding Altman’s departure.

Arun Chandrasekaran, an analyst at Gartner Research, expressed his astonishment at Altman’s exit, noting Altman’s significant role in championing OpenAI’s cause among developers, consumers, regulators, and other stakeholders. Chandrasekaran speculated that the OpenAI board made this decision after careful consideration, and he looks forward to seeing how the company’s next generation of leaders will continue to drive innovation, expand its business, and meet regulatory and societal expectations.

Mira Murati, who will assume the role of interim CEO, has an engineering background and studied at Dartmouth. Prior to joining OpenAI in 2018, she managed product and engineering teams at the augmented reality company Ultraleap (formerly Leap Motion) and worked at Tesla, contributing to the development of the Model X.

The news of Altman’s departure has sent shockwaves through the AI industry, leaving insiders, analysts, and tech executives surprised. Microsoft, which invested heavily in OpenAI earlier this year, affirmed its commitment to Mira and her team as they usher in the next era of AI for their customers.

In a tweet, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt lauded Altman as “a hero,” acknowledging his achievements in building a company from scratch to a value of $90 billion and transforming the world through AI. Schmidt expressed excitement about Altman’s future endeavors and the positive impact they could have on billions of people.

Reece Hayden, an analyst at ABI Research, suggested that Altman’s departure might influence the approach to AI regulation. Altman had been a fervent advocate for responsible AI, and this change could indicate a shift towards a more self-regulatory stance for OpenAI.

Sam Altman’s departure from OpenAI marks a significant turning point in the AI industry. While the specifics behind his exit remain undisclosed, it underscores the challenges and complexities of leading an organization at the forefront of artificial intelligence. As the company moves forward under new leadership, the world will be watching closely to see how it continues to shape the future of AI.