Sam Altman was reinstalled as OpenAI CEO and allowed to choose the new board after leveraging the loyalty of other Silicon Valley figures like the CEO of Microsoft and the founder of Airbnb.

“The events of November 2023 confirm this. After Altman's ouster, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella offered to hire him and any departing OpenAI staff, placing immense pressure on the board. Reports also confirm Airbnb co-founder Brian Chesky acted as an advisor to Altman and an intermediary during the crisis. The resolution that brought Altman back involved the near-total replacement of the previous board with a new initial board, a condition for his return. Context: This claim refers to the widely reported events in November 2023 when Sam Altman was abruptly fired by OpenAI's board. The subsequent pressure from employees, investors like Microsoft, and other tech leaders led to his swift reinstatement and a restructuring of the company's governance.”