Sam Altman Under Fire: Board Battles, Safety Concerns, and a Molotov Attack

Turbulent Week for OpenAI's CEO

Boardroom Conflict

Internal memos from chief scientist Ilya Sutskever in late 2023 warned that Sam Altman “should not have his finger on the button.” The documents, later cited in a New Yorker profile, detail how Altman’s allies, including Greg Brockman’s wife Anna, tried to persuade Sutskever to stay. In a deposition Sutskever said he feared OpenAI would be destroyed without Altman’s return.

Personal Strain

According to the same profile, Altman took Ambien one night and was awakened by his husband, Australian coder Oliver Mulherin, who informed him that Sutskever was wavering and that the board wanted a meeting.

Molotov Attack

Early Friday, San Francisco police arrested a 20‑year‑old suspect who threw a Molotov cocktail at Altman’s residence and shouted threats outside OpenAI’s headquarters. No injuries were reported.

Policy Push

Amid the turmoil OpenAI released a 13‑page “Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age,” promising new guardrails as the company nears a model it says could rival human cognition. Critics, including former colleagues, remain uneasy about Altman’s trustworthiness and the pace of development.