Testimony Raises Concerns About OpenAI Leadership
Mira Murati, formerly the head of technology at OpenAI, has made serious allegations against CEO Sam Altman, claiming he lacks trustworthiness and has created division among the company’s leaders. This testimony was revealed during Elon Musk’s significant lawsuit against the AI firm.
Murati accused Altman of fostering a competitive environment that led to “chaos,” which, she argues, impaired her ability to perform her role effectively.
“My concern was that Sam was saying one thing to one person and the exact opposite to another,” Murati stated in recorded testimony presented in a federal court in Oakland, California.
When asked if she felt Altman wouldn’t always voice his true opinions, she replied, “Not always.”
She also noted that her concerns were largely focused on management practices.
This testimony emerged during the second week of a trial that has significant attention, not only in Silicon Valley but globally. Musk’s lawsuit accuses Altman and OpenAI President Greg Brockman of prioritizing commercial interests over the mission of advancing AI for the public good. OpenAI has denied these accusations, claiming that Musk played a role in steering the company toward a commercial path.
Musk is seeking up to $180 billion in damages and wants a court ruling to revoke OpenAI’s for-profit status, as well as Altman’s removal from the board. He remarked last week that it would have been “foolish” to trust the company’s future to Altman.
Murati briefly stepped in as CEO when Altman was temporarily ousted by the board in November 2023. After leaving OpenAI, she co-founded her own AI startup, Thinking Machines Lab.
Despite her departure, she had earlier advocated for Altman’s return and requested a clearer explanation from the board regarding his dismissal.
“We found that the board did not follow a reliable process in terminating Sam,” Murati explained. “In hindsight, the way [board members] processed it led to total chaos.”
She shared that she was quite concerned about the situation during a recent appearance at the Met Gala, noting that “OpenAI was at catastrophic risk of collapse.”
Murati maintained regular communication with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella throughout the turmoil, even texting him to discuss strategies on how to communicate with Altman.
Describing Nadella as a “voice of reason,” she admitted, “It’s been a crazy situation in some ways.”
Last month, Microsoft announced it would cease a portion of its revenue payments to OpenAI, a development that suggests a reevaluation of their partnership.
Amid the chaos surrounding Altman’s firing and subsequent reinstatement, Murati mentioned that rival AI companies, particularly from Google and Musk’s ventures, attempted to recruit OpenAI staff.
“It’s crucial that we don’t lose our research to Demis and Elon,” she texted Nadella, referencing Google’s DeepMind CEO, Demis Hassabis.
On the other hand, former OpenAI director Helen Toner criticized Murati during video testimony, suggesting that Murati was indecisive regarding Altman’s firing and worried about its implications for her career.
