Sam Altman Refutes Claims Linking OpenAI Executive Exits to Restructuring Plans

Sam Altman has dismissed the claims that the recent exit of three senior OpenAI executives was tied to a planned company restructuring, which he said had been in the works for several months.

The abrupt departure of longtime Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati on Wednesday was followed by two senior research executives, Barret Zoph and Bob McGrew, announcing their exits hours later.

On the same day, Reuters reported that OpenAI was considering restructuring its core business into a for-profit benefit corporation, moving control away from its non-profit board to attract more investors.

During his appearance at the Italian Tech Week conference in Turin, Altman clarified that reports linking the executives' departures to the restructuring were inaccurate.

He praised the outgoing executives and expressed enthusiasm about streamlining the company's structure and collaborating more closely with technical teams.