zlacker

What are the odds that, if Sam Altman returns to OpenAI, it would remain a non-profit? From everything that the news has covered since his departure, it seems that the board is committed to the non-profit mission, but Sam runs OpenAI like a for-profit startup company. I imagine if he returns, the board will be replaced with people who share Sam's vision and OpenAI will drop the façade of public responsibility and non-profit mission and start optimizing for money.

>>smnrch+(OP)
FTA: "Altman is thinking about returning but has told investors that if he does return, he wants a new board and governance structure"

>>smnrch+(OP)
If I had to bet, I'd say it remains a non-profit but with significant structural changes (such as removing caps on returns and more experienced people joining the board).

Sam has always spoken favorably of the non-profit portion of the company, and he's very aware that the importance of what OpenAI is doing exceeds what a corporation can handle.

>>smnrch+(OP)
I think it would really be best overall if they can find a compromise. Both a full for-profit takeover and half of OpenAI’s employees leaving for a new startup would seem to be worse outcomes.

>>smnrch+(OP)
They dropped it right after ChatGPT came out. For a full year, they were luring top talent with promises of exorbitant equity, sold integrations left and right, played a role in writing the EO that makes it difficult for newcomers to compete with OpenAI, etc. Didn't we have a story about $10M comp packages at OpenAI just a week ago?

I can't imagine this was just Altman. I suspect that a large proportion of current OpenAI staff is in it for the money and couldn't care less about the non-profit goals of the pre-ChatGPT era. In fact, many probably oppose the idea because it stands in the way of a big payout down the line.

This coup was probably some sort of the last stand for the old-timers who still believe in the non-profit mission, but I doubt they can prevail in the long haul. Not without gutting the company, at the very least.

>>smnrch+(OP)
What would the tax implications be if they were to change the corporate structure?

>>pardon+W1
I think they should gut the current company. For better or for worse. Sam and 80% of openai can start over and probably reach agi but like this it's too ironic