Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by bananapub 940 days ago
> 3 board members (joined with Ilya Sutskever, who is publicly defecting now) found themselves in a position to take over what used to be a 9-member board, and took full control of OpenAI and the subsidiary previously worth $90 billion.

er...what does that even mean? how can a board "take full control" of the thing they are the board for? they already have full control.

the actual facts are that the board, by majority vote, sacked the CEO and kicked someone else off the board.

then a lot of other stuff happened that's still becoming clear.
3 comments
tyrfing 940 days ago
The board had 3 positions empty, people who left this year, leaving it as a 6-member board. Both Sam Altman and Greg Brockman were on the board; Ilya Sutskever's vote (which he now states he regrets) gave them the votes to remove both, and bring it down to a 4 member board controlled by 3 members that started the year as a small minority.
link
rvba 940 days ago
Those 3 board members can kick out Ilya Sutskever too!
link
s1artibartfast 940 days ago
I think the post is very clear.

The subject in that sentence that takes full control is “3 members" not "board".

The board has control, but who controls the board changes based on time and circumstances.

link
michaelt 940 days ago
The post could be clearer.

It says 3 board members found themselves in a position to take over OpenAI.

Do they mean we've seen Sam Altman and allies making a bid to take over the entire of OpenAI, through its weird Charity+LLC+Holding company+LLC+Microsoft structure, eschewing its goals of openness and safety in pursuit of short-sighted riches.

Or do they mean we've seen The Board making a bid to take over the entire of OpenAI, by ousting Glorious Leader Sam Altman, while his team was going from strength to strength?

link
ketzo 940 days ago
If Sam Altman runs a for-profit company underneath you, are you ever really "in full control"?

I mean, they were literally able to fire him... and they're still not looking like they have control. Quite the opposite.

I think anyone watching ChatGPT rise over the last year would see where the currents are flowing.

link