Microsoft is discussing a list of governance changes it plans to request from OpenAI’s board to improve the board itself and prevent the software giant, the artificial intelligence start-up’s biggest investor, from being caught flat-footed by major strategic moves.
The changes Microsoft is mulling may include asking OpenAI to increase the size of the board and boost the experience level required for members, according to people familiar with the company’s thinking, who asked not to be identified discussing private talks.
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The software company, which has put about US$13 billion into OpenAI, is largely waiting for a new board to emerge to discuss the changes, the people said.
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella made it clear Monday that OpenAI needs significant changes to its governance, whether Altman returns or takes up a role at Microsoft overseeing a new AI research unit, as the company and Altman announced Sunday.
Nadella expressed annoyance that OpenAI’s board gave him the briefest of notifications after it had fired Altman and before announcing his termination.
“Surprises are bad, and we just want to make sure things are done in a way that will allow us to partner well,” Nadella said in an interview with Bloomberg Television. Major changes happening without Microsoft in the loop are “not good, and we will definitely ensure that some of the changes that are needed, happen”.
Microsoft is also mulling whether it should attempt to put one of its executives on OpenAI’s board, according to the people familiar with the company’s thinking. The company will have to weigh its desire for more control with the risk that becoming directly involved in the start-up could lead to challenges from US regulators, the people said.
A spokesman for Microsoft declined to comment. The Information on Monday reported OpenAI’s outreach to Anthropic.