OpenAI appoints ex-Twitch boss as interim CEO; Altman joins Microsoft

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 20 (Reuters) - OpenAI has appointed ex-Twitch boss Emmett Shear to lead the startup, replacing Sam Altman who will join the company's top backer Microsoft (MSFT.O) to lead a new advanced AI research team, the CEO of the software giant said late on Sunday.

Shear was named interim CEO, a person briefed on the appointment told sources.

The decision not to reinstate Altman as CEO of the company behind ChatGPT has confounded efforts by investors and employees of the firm to steady the ship by bringing him back after the board fired him on Friday, a surprise move that rocked the tech world.

They fear his abrupt sacking could lead to a mass exodus of talent and impact an upcoming $86 billion share sale.

Sources reported that Altman was discussing a possible return to OpenAI and changing the company's governance structure, even as he considered launching a new AI venture.

Altman and Greg Brockman, who stepped down from the OpenAI board as chairman as part of the management shuffle, joined executives at the company's headquarters on Sunday after then interim CEO Mira Murati told staff she invited Altman, The Information earlier reported on Sunday.