Sam Altman and Mira Murati: The Revealing Texts of 2023

Frantic Text Exchanges Between Sam Altman and Mira Murati

In November 2023, Sam Altman, then CEO of OpenAI, was ousted from his position, triggering a series of frantic text messages between him and Mira Murati, who stepped in as interim CEO. These messages, presented during the civil trial Musk v. Altman in Oakland, California, reveal Altman's desperate attempt to regain his position, while Murati responds with clear messages: "They don't want you."

A Tense and Revealing Dialogue

During those two days in November, Altman and Murati exchanged messages intensely. The evidence presented at the trial shows that Murati, in contact with the board, dampened Altman's hopes of returning. "They are convinced of their decision," she told him, confirming that the board wanted him gone. Altman, seeking to understand, asks: "to be fired? or for something new?" Murati simply replies: "Yes, for you to be gone."

Beginning of the Exchange

The exchange begins on November 19, 2023, at 5:43 PM Pacific Time. Altman, apparently locked out of OpenAI's offices, asks Murati to officially invite him for a meeting. She responds that she is about to speak with the board. About seven hours later, Altman asks for an update on his call with board members. Murati's response is direct: "Directionally very bad," to which Altman simply replies "ok."

Altman's Proposals to Improve the Situation

Altman offers to help "improve the situation" even if it means he has to leave. "What do you want to improve the situation? I'm still willing to leave if that helps," he tells Murati. He worries that the board might be "prepared for crazy lawsuits against me," and implores again to be heard by the board. Murati reiterates: "They are convinced of their decision," adding that it is for him to be fired.

Pressure from Microsoft

Microsoft, which has a significant investment in OpenAI, is pushing for quick updates. Altman presses Murati for news, asking "can you wrap this up soon? a lot of pressure from msft for an update." Murati replies that the situation is "very bad," and when Altman asks again for permission to come to OpenAI's office, she tells him "They don't want you."

An Unexpected New CEO

Altman asks a third time to meet with the board, but Murati tells him that "They say no." Altman, still desperate, suggests discussing a way forward with them. Murati responds that "They say no and they need more time." Altman asks "more time for what?" and Murati informs him that he is being replaced. "They want a new CEO," she says, adding that the new CEO is "a random guy from Twitch."

Reactions and Implications

Ten minutes later, Altman asks again: "they still don't want me?" Murati confirms that the new CEO is Emmett Shear, which Altman had guessed. Emmett Shear, who was quickly replaced by Altman after Microsoft's intervention, changed his X banner to "the new guy is a random guy from Twitch" using screenshots of the recently released messages.

Board's Resistance

Murati informs Altman that the board does not care about potential staff resignations. She hopes that Satya Nadella, CEO of Microsoft, might influence the situation but remains pessimistic. Altman worries about the possibility that the board wants to transfer OpenAI's intellectual property to Anthropic. Murati indicates that this is what the team thinks, although the board remains firm that Altman should have nothing to do with OpenAI's push for Artificial General Intelligence. "Just not your hand on AGI," she writes to him. "I can't come back!" he replies.

Envisioned Future Scenarios

Altman even considers the possibility that Microsoft might acquire OpenAI, seeking to understand the implications of such a scenario. The exchanges continue, with Murati indicating that the board is in contact with Nadella. However, no immediate solution seems to be in sight for Altman, who remains outside the company he helped build.