OpenAI's Board Proposed CEO Position and Merger to Anthropic's Chief

In a recent turn of events within the tech industry, the board of executives from the artificial intelligence startup OpenAI has approached Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei with two significant proposals. The discussions, which involved a potential merger as well as an offer for Amodei to assume the role of chief executive at OpenAI, have stirred conversations among those familiar with the companies.

OpenAI's Search for Leadership

After Sam Altman's departure as CEO of OpenAI, the company's board looked to Anthropic's Dario Amodei as a potential successor. The approach was made following various calls for the need to find a new leader for OpenAI. Altman's exit came after the board decided to remove him from the position. Despite the dramatic changes, Amodei declined both the proposal to merge with OpenAI and the offer to lead the company.

A Brief Leadership Crisis

The revelation of these discussions arrives on the heels of another top executive move at OpenAI. The board had just recently offered the interim chief position to former Twitch CEO Emmett Shear, who accepted the role. Concurrently, Sam Altman took on a new role within Microsoft, which is a crucial backer of OpenAI. This series of events led to a startling situation where the vast majority of OpenAI’s staff, which constitutes over 700 employees, threatened to leave the startup. The tension also affected the board itself, leading to a reduction in its size.

Anthropic's Stand in AI

Anthropic is not only a competitor but also a company with a history tied to OpenAI. The co-founders of Anthropic paved their own path in the AI field after leaving OpenAI in 2020 due to differing views on the proper development and management of AI technology. Anthropic, with its Claude AI models, has been competing for attention in the market alongside OpenAI's well-known GPT series, and has secured backing from high-profile investors including Google's parent company Alphabet and Amazon.com.

OpenAI, Anthropic, merger