The decision for Altman’s departure follows the board’s deliberation over his communication approach, which they found lacked the necessary candor for effective governance.

In the official statement, the board expressed gratitude for Altman’s contributions to OpenAI’s founding and growth but emphasized the need for new leadership to navigate the company’s future. They expressed full confidence in Murati’s capabilities to lead the company during this transitional phase.

The board, comprising independent directors such as Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo, entrepreneur Tasha McCauley, and Helen Toner of the Georgetown Center for Security and Emerging Technology, along with OpenAI chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, plays a crucial role in maintaining the company’s direction and mission integrity. Additionally, Greg Brockman, the chairman of the board, will be stepping down from his role but will continue his association with the company.