Interim OpenAI CEO: Microsoft Has ‘Utmost Confidence’ in Startup Following Altman Departure

OpenAI Interim CEO Mira Murati on Friday told staff in a companywide meeting that its relationship with Microsoft—its biggest outside source of capital and computing power—was stable following the sudden firing of CEO Sam Altman, according to people with knowledge of the meeting. Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella and CTO Kevin Scott expressed “utmost confidence” in OpenAI following the unexpected news, Murati said, according to these people.

Microsoft’s leaders were blindsided by the Altman news, getting a heads up from OpenAI only five to 10 minutes before it was made public, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter.