'First and last time I ever wear one of these': Sam Altman invited to OpenAI office two days after getting fired

Ousted OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and former President Greg Brockman were at the company's San Francisco headquarters on Sunday. This comes just two days after OpenAI’s board of directors fired Altman.  Interim CEO Mira Murati and the leadership team had invited Altman to the office for further discussions, according to a report by The Information. The meeting fans further speculations about Altman's reinstatement in the company.

Altman and Brockman, along with a trio of senior researchers who resigned in solidarity, are being considered for reinstatement, according to the report. Chief Strategy Officer Jason Kwon expressed optimism about their return.

first and last time i ever wear one of these pic.twitter.com/u3iKwyWj0a

In a cryptic post on messaging platform X, Altman shared an image of himself wearing an OpenAI guest badge with the caption: "first and last time I ever wear one of these".

pic.twitter.com/KqEZXnQWBo

— Jason Kwon (@jasonkwon) November 19, 2023

Altman's potential return has stirred up the tech industry, as it would necessitate a complete overhaul of the board. Meanwhile, Altman is also contemplating launching a new artificial intelligence (AI) venture.

Altman's dismissal has caused a ripple of discontent among current and former employees, raising concerns about the impact on an upcoming $86 billion share sale. In a show of support, dozens of OpenAI employees gathered at Altman’s $27 million mansion in San Francisco's Russian Hill neighborhood.

Investors are also rallying behind Altman. Tiger Global is part of an investor group pushing for Altman’s reinstatement. Sequoia Capital has been in talks with Altman about potential next steps, including a possible return. The firm has also been encouraging executives at Microsoft, OpenAI’s largest backers, to help engineer his return.

If Altman does return to OpenAI, Microsoft, its biggest backer, is considering taking a role on the board. This could either be as a board member or as a board observer without voting power.

Also read: ‘I love the OpenAI team so much’: Ousted Sam Altman’s cryptic message sparks speculation of his return

Also read: Ousted OpenAI CEO Altman discusses possible return, mulls new AI venture