[gwern]

I believe it. Note that this story is being sourced from Altman/Conway, even to the level of their private text messages. So they would have to be the ones fabricating this claim, but this story is embarrassing to them: if they were going to make it up, Altman's change of heart would be prompted by appeals from employees or the board (which was in fact the version of the story that was initially circulating on social media and Altman is still trying to spin as the reason the Board eventually called him). As it is, it comes off as duplicitous & destructive and highly unflattering: 2 rich CEOs/VCs riling him up to go back on his promise to try to take over and burn down OA if he can't.