Microsoft has announced the hiring of Sam Altman, the co-founder of OpenAI and the company behind ChatGPT. This news comes after Altman was suddenly removed as CEO of OpenAI last week, causing confusion in the AI world. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella expressed excitement about bringing Altman and Greg Brockman, another OpenAI co-founder, as well as other managers from the company on board to lead a new advanced AI research team.

The removal of Altman from his position at OpenAI was confirmed by both he and Emmett Shear, who has been named as the new CEO of the company. Shear described his new role as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Meanwhile, Brockman has stepped down as chairman of the board but remains as its president. These changes come at a time when OpenAI’s creations, such as ChatGPT and Dall-E image generator, have brought generative AI into the mainstream and sparked debates about its use and ethical implications.

Microsoft’s hiring of Altman is seen as a strategic move to bolster its AI capabilities and gain access to some of the best minds in the field. The company’s interest in working with OpenAI’s leadership is also an indication that it sees great potential for generative AI and wants to be at the forefront of this rapidly evolving technology.