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OpenAI leaders warned of abusive behavior before Sam Altman’s ouster

The senior employees described Altman as psychologically abusive, creating chaos at the artificial-intelligence start-up — complaints that were a major factor in the board’s abrupt decision to fire the CEO

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Updated December 8, 2023 at 5:18 p.m. EST|Published December 8, 2023 at 2:43 p.m. EST
A collage with Sam Altman and a rocket.
(Illustration by Elena Lacey/The Washington Post; TWP; iStock)
7 min

This fall, a small number of senior leaders approached the board of OpenAI with concerns about chief executive Sam Altman.

Altman — a revered mentor, prodigious start-up investor and avatar of the AI revolution — had been psychologically abusive, the employees alleged, creating pockets of chaos and delays at the artificial-intelligence start-up, according to two people familiar with the board’s thinking who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive internal matters. The company leaders, a group that included key figures and people who manage large teams, mentioned Altman’s allegedly pitting employees against each other in unhealthy ways, the people said.