The Sam Altman drama points to a deeper split in the tech world

THERE is little doubting the dedication of Sam Altman to OpenAI, the firm at the forefront of an artificial-intelligence (AI) revolution. As co-founder and boss he appeared to work as tirelessly for its success as at a previous startup where his singlemindedness led to a bout of scurvy, a disease more commonly associated with mariners of a bygone era who remained too long at sea without access to fresh food.

So his sudden sacking on Nov 17 was a shock. The reasons why the firm’s board lost confidence in Altman are unclear. Rumours point to disquiet about his side-projects, and fears that he was moving too quickly to expand OpenAI’s commercial offerings without considering the safety implications, in a firm that has also pledged to develop the tech for the “maximal benefit of humanity”.

The company’s investors and some of its employees are now seeking Altman’s reinstatement. Whether they succeed or not, it is clear that the events at OpenAI are the most dramatic manifestation yet of a wider divide in Silicon Valley.