Former OpenAI Scientist Ilya Sutskever Details Attempt to Oust Sam Altman and Merge with Anthropic

Former OpenAI chief scientist Ilya Sutskever described in a recent deposition filed in federal court how he and other members of the company’s board attempted to remove CEO Sam Altman in November 2023 and briefly explored a merger with rival Anthropic.

Sutskever said he spent over a year considering Altman’s removal and presented a 52-page memo to OpenAI’s independent board members outlining concerns about Altman’s leadership. The board ultimately voted to dismiss Altman on November 17, 2023. Within days, however, hundreds of employees signed a petition demanding his return, and Altman was reinstated as CEO on November 21.

During Altman’s brief absence, Sutskever stated that OpenAI board members held talks with Anthropic’s leadership, including CEO Dario Amodei and president Daniela Amodei, about a potential merger that would have placed Anthropic in control of OpenAI. According to Sutskever, most board members were supportive of the idea, though he personally opposed it. The discussions ended quickly after practical challenges were raised.

The deposition was part of Elon Musk’s ongoing lawsuit against Altman and OpenAI, which accuses the company of abandoning its original nonprofit mission. Sutskever is expected to sit for a second deposition to discuss additional internal communications related to Altman’s 2023 ouster.