New Board Structure
After the challenging events with the previous OpenAI board, Sam Altman recognized the need to reassess the company's governance structure. In the wake of this saga, Altman and the team worked to add new board members with more experience and expertise to create a more robust and resilient organization.
The previous OpenAI board had gradually shrunk from 9 members to just 6, and the team was unable to agree on who to add as new members. This led to the dramatic events that Altman described as "the most painful professional experience" of his life.
Selecting New Board Members
In the heat of the moment during that tense weekend, Altman and the executive team worked quickly to add two new board members - Brett and Larry. While these selections were made under pressure, Altman acknowledged that they were not part of a rigorous, well-designed process.
Step 1
Going forward, Altman and OpenAI are taking a more thoughtful and deliberate approach to adding new board members. Rather than selecting individuals one by one, they aim to "hire board members in slates" - looking for a group of people that collectively bring the right expertise and experience.
Step 2
The criteria they are targeting for the new board include:
- Nonprofit expertise
- Experience in running companies
- Strong legal and governance expertise
Altman emphasized the importance of having a well-rounded board that can provide oversight and guidance, rather than just focusing on technical expertise.
[Diagram to be made of the desired board composition and expertise areas]
Importance of Resilient Governance
Altman believes that as OpenAI continues to make progress towards AGI, the need for a robust and resilient governance structure will only become more critical. He acknowledges that the previous board structure was not adequate to handle the intense pressure and scrutiny that came with the company's achievements.
"I think one of the things that we did see is in most corporate structures, boards are usually answerable to shareholders. Sometimes people have like super voting shares or whatever. In this case, and I think one of the things with our structure that we maybe should have thought about more than we did is that the board of a nonprofit has, unless you put other rules in place, like quite a lot of power. They don't really answer to anyone but themselves."
Going forward, Altman wants the OpenAI board to be more accountable to the wider public and society, not just the organization itself. This will be an important aspect of ensuring the responsible development of transformative AI technologies.
[Diagram to be made of the desired accountability structure for the OpenAI board]
Lessons Learned
The board saga was a formative experience for Altman and the OpenAI team. While deeply painful at the time, Altman believes it has helped the organization become more resilient and better prepared to navigate future challenges as they work towards their ambitious goals.
By reflecting on the shortcomings of the previous board structure and taking steps to build a more robust and accountable governance system, OpenAI is positioning itself to weather the storms that are likely to come as they continue to push the boundaries of artificial intelligence.
[Link to the "Lessons Learned" subsection in the "OpenAI Board Saga" section]