OpenAI's Board Sought Anthropic CEO for Leadership and Potential Merger

In a move that could have significantly reshaped the landscape of artificial intelligence startups, OpenAI's board reportedly made an inquiry to Anthropic's CEO concerning a major leadership role and the possibility of merging their two companies. Sources familiar with the situation disclosed that the board had discussions about Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei potentially taking over from Sam Altman, the current head of OpenAI. However, Amodei was not amenable to the proposal and declined.

Shift in Leadership

The development follows a turbulent period at OpenAI which saw Sam Altman removed from his position by the board. In the wake of this decision, Emmett Shear, the former CEO of Twitch, was extended an offer to act as interim chief, an offer which he accepted. This period also included a moment when a large portion of OpenAI's employees, numbering over 700, considered resigning, a sentiment that extended to an executive on its board.

Background of Anthropic

Anthropic, co-founded by former OpenAI executives including Amodei, parted ways with the company over disagreements on ensuring the safety and proper governance in the development of AI. Despite these differences, Anthropic has carved a niche for itself in the competitive AI realm, securing funding from prominent tech entities such as Google and Amazon. Their Claude AI models stand in competition with OpenAI's widely known GPT lineup.

OpenAI, Anthropic, Merger