OpenAI staff celebrated the return of Sam Altman with a party Tuesday night. According to a report from The Information, the celebration at the company’s headquarters in San Francisco included a smoke machine that set off a fire alarm, bringing two fire trucks to the building. Despite the commotion, staff continued to party in the nearcourtyard.
Greg Brockman, OpenAI co-founder, posted a photo with his colleagues to mark the occasion, declaring “We are so back” after Altman’s return. Altman’s reinstatement followed a five-day saga in which the vast majority of OpenAI staff signed an open letter threatening to leave the company if the board would not resign and reinstate Altman.
After OpenAI announced it was bringing Altman back and making changes to its board of directors, employees took to social media to express their support and pride in the company. They also used the moment to poke fun at attempts Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff to poach talent from OpenAI during the chaos of the past week.
Overall, the celebration of Altman’s return and the company’s improved outlook was evident among OpenAI employees. CEO Mira Murati and former CEO Emmett Shear both expressed their support for the news on social media, with Shear expressing being “deeply pleased” and Murati responding with a blue heart emoji.
The report also revealed that OpenAI had not immediately responded to requests for comment on the celebration. Ultimately, this highlights the significance of Sam Altman’s return to OpenAI and the impact it had on the company’s employees.