Fear and loathing at OpenAI

The Verge / 4/10/2026

💬 OpinionIdeas & Deep AnalysisIndustry & Market Moves

Key Points

  • The article summarizes a deep investigation into Sam Altman’s leadership at OpenAI, highlighting how his tenure has been unusually turbulent, including a brief firing followed by a rapid reinstatement.
  • It frames the central concern as whether Altman is the right person to lead AI development given the technology’s outsized societal and transformative impact.
  • The piece emphasizes how Altman’s reinstatement marked the beginning of a more permanent organizational reshaping, suggesting lasting internal and strategic consequences.
  • It points readers to additional coverage via The Vergecast and a related New Yorker feature that examines trust and governance issues around a key AI figure.
  • Overall, the story is less about a new model release and more about leadership, accountability, and public confidence in AI stewardship.

Sam Altman's tenure at OpenAI has been… messy. Messy to the point where Altman was briefly fired from his role as CEO, only to be reinstated days later, at which point he began reshaping the organization permanently. This week, The New Yorker published a deep look at Altman, his time at OpenAI, and the questions about whether he's the right person to be in charge of a technology as important and transformative as artificial intelligence.

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