Former OpenAI board member Helen Toner downplays company restructure
Many observers said OpenAI was backtracking when it decided to remain governed by a nonprofit. The Australian AI researcher who sat on its board isn't so sure.
The Australian researcher at the centre of Sam Altman’s attempted ousting as CEO says OpenAI’s recently announced restructure plans are not as dramatic as they may seem.
OpenAI’s commitment to remain governed by a nonprofit was heralded by many as a “backtrack” and a "big reversal", but former board member Helen Toner told Capital Brief that may not be the case.
“It’s not as much of a walk-back as it’s been reported as,” said Toner. “A lot of what they’ve announced about the structure they’ll be going through with is actually very similar to what they had previously [said].”
Toner, director of strategy at Washington’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology think tank, was referring to a December missive issued by OpenAI. In it, the company said it would seek to transform its for-profit arm into a Public Benefit Corporation (PBC) and make the nonprofit “one of the best resourced in history”.
