Microsoft announced on Monday that it has hired Sam Altman, the co-founder of OpenAI and the company behind ChatGPT. This news comes after Altman was suddenly removed as the 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, and other managers from the company on board to lead a new advanced AI research team. Nadella also expressed interest in working with OpenAI’s new CEO, Emmett Shear.

The news of Altman’s removal and the addition of new leadership at OpenAI was confirmed by Altman and Shear themselves on social media. Shear described his new position as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, while Altman’s removal came after an internal review at OpenAI. The company has announced changes in its management structure, with Brockman stepping down as chairman of the board but remaining as the company’s president. These changes have occurred as OpenAI’s creations, such as ChatGPT and the Dall-E image generator, have brought generative AI into the mainstream, sparking debates about its use and ethical implications.

Microsoft’s move to hire Altman is seen as a major step forward in their quest to become a leader in artificial intelligence research and development. The addition of other former OpenAI managers will bring valuable expertise to Microsoft’s existing AI team, allowing them to work together more effectively on projects that leverage both companies’ strengths.