Microsoft emerges as the winner of the OpenAI crisis

Concern about turbulence, Satya NadellaThe Microsoft CEO spent the weekend pressuring OpenAI’s board to reverse the ouster of its face. However, the board of directors did not back down. After this failure, Nadella opted for a new and unpredictable twist on the script: hiring Altman and his most loyal friends. Greg Brockmanwho resigned as head of OpenAI on Friday as a sign of solidarity.

All this meant that in just three days, Microsoft emerged as the big winner of the year’s soap opera. Silicon valleyThe Mecca of the tech industry in the United States. The New York Times evaluates, “From a strategic perspective, this is a masterwork.” With this coup effect, Nadella not only prevents his most powerful ally from signing the contest (Google, Aim, anthropic anyone Amazon) but he keeps it with him.

OpenAI, split

OpenAI was founded as a non-profit organization in 2015. desire to put this thing ethic before benefits The situation worsened in 2019 when a for-profit subsidiary was formed to raise capital. This branch is also governed by a non-profit board; This board is a complex structure established to prevent the commercialization of the company. technology if this will harm society.

Thus, OpenAI split into two schools of thought that Altman calls “tribes.” Although the reasons for his dismissal are still unclear, the board said it had lost confidence in its CEO. According to various media outlets, Altman has an interest in speeding up this process. commercialization The board of directors was worried, fearing that the company would betray its founding mission under AI’s leadership. Internal tensions between both parties accelerated especially after the launch of ChatGPT and became clear with last Friday’s explosion.

Microsoft’s way is clear

With its decision, Microsoft guarantees the possibility of continuing to work with Altman and some of the world’s leading experts artificial intelligence without restrictions imposed by the nonprofit board. Does this undermine confidence in Microsoft’s ability to securely develop this technology? It could be. What has already happened is that close to 95% of OpenAI staff have threatened to leave the company and join the new team led by their former boss if the board does not resign.

There’s also a chance the crisis could sink OpenAI. If this happens and Microsoft absorbs a large portion of human talent, it will have succeeded in controlling a fledgling company that is moving towards a new company. evaluation $86,000 million for nothing. This turn of events sparked an avalanche of memes on social media mocking the board’s decision.

“We have everything”

Nadella is aware of his success. “If OpenAI disappears tomorrow, I don’t want any of our customers to worry about it because we have all the rights to continue OpenAI. innovationNot just to sell products, but to do on our own what we do with the alliance. We have people, we have computational capacity, we have data… we have everything,” he explained on the ‘On With Kara Swisher’ podcast.

The alliance between Microsoft and OpenAI is vital for both parties. Microsoft used technology developed by the startup to create its own AI tools, including the chat it integrated into its search engine. bing. On the other hand, OpenAI used the investment and computing power of the giant it founded. Bill Gates accelerate their innovation. This symbiotic relationship has led both companies to leadership in the industry.

Microsoft is also benefiting financially from the turmoil at OpenAI. The company’s shares increased by approximately 1.5%, reaching the highest stock price in its history. According to Reuters, the company could “increase its market value by almost $30 billion” at the valuation reached by OpenAI in its latest fundraising.