The anticipated $86 billion valuation of OpenAI is in jeopardy following the sudden dismissal of CEO Sam Altman and a series of executive departures, as reported by The Information on Saturday.
The pending sale of employee shares, led by Thrive Capital, has reached its final stages and was slated for completion next month. The tender offer’s fate now hangs in the balance amidst the leadership turmoil.
OpenAI and Thrive Capital have not responded to Reuters’ requests for comments. The shake-up unfolded after Altman’s removal from the board, prompting the resignation of Greg Brockman, the company’s president and co-founder.
The unexpected changes, communicated through internal messages and the company’s blog, caught many employees off guard. OpenAI, backed by Microsoft, pioneered the generative AI trend with the release of ChatGPT last November.
