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OpenAI Says Ousted CEO Sam Altman to Return to Company behind ChatGPT

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman testifies before a Senate Judiciary Privacy, Technology & the Law Subcommittee hearing titled 'Oversight of A.I.: Rules for Artificial Intelligence' on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, May 16, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File photo
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman testifies before a Senate Judiciary Privacy, Technology & the Law Subcommittee hearing titled 'Oversight of A.I.: Rules for Artificial Intelligence' on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, May 16, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File photo
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OpenAI Says Ousted CEO Sam Altman to Return to Company behind ChatGPT

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman testifies before a Senate Judiciary Privacy, Technology & the Law Subcommittee hearing titled 'Oversight of A.I.: Rules for Artificial Intelligence' on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, May 16, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File photo
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman testifies before a Senate Judiciary Privacy, Technology & the Law Subcommittee hearing titled 'Oversight of A.I.: Rules for Artificial Intelligence' on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, May 16, 2023. REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz/File photo

The ousted leader of ChatGPT-maker OpenAI is returning to the company that fired him late last week, the latest in a saga that has shocked the artificial intelligence industry.
San Francisco-based OpenAI said in a statement late Tuesday: “We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam Altman to return to OpenAI as CEO with a new initial board" made of former Salesforce co-CEO Bret Taylor, former US Treasury Secretary Larry Summers and Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo.
OpenAI’s previous board of directors, which included D'Angelo, had refused to give specific reasons for why it fired Altman on Friday, leading to a weekend of internal conflict at the company and growing outside pressure from the startup's investors.
Microsoft, which has invested billions of dollars in OpenAI and has rights to its technology, quickly moved to hire Altman on Monday, as well as another co-founder and former president, Greg Brockman, who had quit in protest after Altman's removal. That emboldened a threatened exodus of nearly all of the startup's 770 employees who signed a letter calling for the board's resignation and Altman's return.
Microsoft Chief Technology Officer Kevin Scott put out a call to the startup’s employees Tuesday on X, formerly Twitter: “Know that if needed, you have a role at Microsoft that matches your compensation and advances our collective mission.”
Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella also made clear in a series of interviews Monday that he was still open to the possibility of Altman returning to OpenAI, so long as the startup's governance and board problems are solved.
“We are encouraged by the changes to the OpenAI board,” Nadella posted on X late Tuesday. “We believe this is a first essential step on a path to more stable, well-informed, and effective governance.”
In his own post, Altman said that “with the new board and (with) Satya's support, I'm looking forward to returning to OpenAI, and building on our strong partnership with (Microsoft)."
Co-founded by Altman as a nonprofit with a mission to safely build so-called artificial general intelligence that outperforms humans and benefits humanity, OpenAI later became a for-profit business but one still run by its nonprofit board of directors. It's not clear yet if the board's structure will change with its newly appointed members.
Nadella said Brockman, who was OpenAI's board chairman until Altman's firing, will also have a key role to play in ensuring OpenAI “continues to thrive and build on its mission.”
Hours earlier, Brockman returned to social media as if it were business as usual, touting a feature called ChatGPT Voice that was rolling out for free to everyone who uses the chatbot.
“Give it a try — totally changes the ChatGPT experience,” Brockman wrote, flagging a post from OpenAI's main X account that featured a demonstration of the technology playfully winking at recent turmoil.
“It’s been a long night for the team and we’re hungry. How many 16-inch pizzas should I order for 778 people,” the person asks, using the number of people who work at OpenAI. ChatGPT's synthetic voice responded by recommending around 195 pizzas, ensuring everyone gets three slices.
As for OpenAI's short-lived interim CEO Emmett Shear, the second interim CEO in the days since Altman's ouster, he posted on X that he was “deeply pleased by this result, after (tilde)72 very intense hours of work.”
“Coming into OpenAI, I wasn't sure what the right path would be,” Shear wrote. “This was the pathway that maximized safety alongside doing right by all stakeholders involved. I'm glad to have been a part of the solution.”

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Nebius Signs AI Capacity Deal with Meta for at Least $12 Billion

FILE PHOTO: The logo of Nebius during the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups at Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, France, June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Nebius during the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups at Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, France, June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo
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Nebius Signs AI Capacity Deal with Meta for at Least $12 Billion

FILE PHOTO: The logo of Nebius during the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups at Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, France, June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The logo of Nebius during the Viva Technology conference dedicated to innovation and startups at Porte de Versailles exhibition center in Paris, France, June 12, 2025. REUTERS/Benoit Tessier/File Photo

Amsterdam-based Nebius Group said on Monday it has signed a new five-year deal with Meta Platforms to provide the social media giant with $12 billion of dedicated AI computing capacity ⁠across multiple locations by ⁠2027.

Under the deal, Meta will also buy an additional $15 billion worth of capacity planned by Nebius over ⁠the coming five years if it is not sold to other customers, giving the contract a total value of up to $27 billion, Nebius said.

Nebius is a so-called "neocloud" company that sells hardware and cloud capacity ⁠as ⁠services to other tech firms. It uses Nvidia processors to provide AI cloud infrastructure.

It signed an initial $3 billion deal with Meta in November.

Technology

ByteDance Reportedly Suspends Launch of Video AI Model after Copyright Disputes

FILE PHOTO: The ByteDance logo is seen at the company's office building in Shanghai, China July 4, 2023. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The ByteDance logo is seen at the company's office building in Shanghai, China July 4, 2023. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo
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ByteDance Reportedly Suspends Launch of Video AI Model after Copyright Disputes

FILE PHOTO: The ByteDance logo is seen at the company's office building in Shanghai, China July 4, 2023. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo
FILE PHOTO: The ByteDance logo is seen at the company's office building in Shanghai, China July 4, 2023. REUTERS/Aly Song/File Photo

TikTok's Chinese parent, ByteDance, has put on hold the global launch of its latest video-generation model, Seedance 2.0, after a series of copyright disputes with major Hollywood studios and streaming platforms, The Information reported on Saturday, citing two people with direct knowledge of the situation.

Reuters could not immediately verify the report. ByteDance did not immediately respond to a request for comment. ByteDance said last month it would take steps to prevent the unauthorized use of intellectual property on its AI video generator Seedance 2.0, ⁠following threats of ⁠legal action from US studios, including Disney.

Disney sent a cease-and-desist letter to the Chinese firm last month, accusing it of using Disney characters to train and power Seedance 2.0 without permission, after videos generated by the model went viral in China, including one of Tom Cruise ⁠and Brad Pitt in a fight.

Disney said ByteDance had pre-packaged Seedance with a pirated library of copyrighted characters from franchises including Star Wars and Marvel, portraying them as public-domain clip art. ByteDance, which officially unveiled the model in February, has said the system is aimed at professional film, e-commerce and advertising use, highlighting its ability to process text, images, audio and video at once to reduce content production costs.

Seedance 2.0 has drawn attention after earning comparisons with DeepSeek, a ⁠Chinese AI ⁠company that has built models rivaling those of Anthropic and OpenAI. Tech executives, including Elon Musk, have praised its ability to generate cinematic storylines from a handful of prompts.

ByteDance had been aiming to make the new video model available to customers worldwide in mid-March, but the company has since suspended those plans, The Information report said.

ByteDance's legal team is working to identify and resolve potential legal issues and engineers are adding safeguards to prevent the model from generating content that could lead to further intellectual property violations, the report added.

Technology

Fake Images, Videos in Wartime: How to Tell Fact from Deepfakes

Misinformation spreads rapidly on social media during crises and conflicts (Shutterstock)
Misinformation spreads rapidly on social media during crises and conflicts (Shutterstock)
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Fake Images, Videos in Wartime: How to Tell Fact from Deepfakes

Misinformation spreads rapidly on social media during crises and conflicts (Shutterstock)
Misinformation spreads rapidly on social media during crises and conflicts (Shutterstock)

As tensions escalate across several fronts in the Middle East, information is spreading almost as quickly as the events themselves.

Social media platforms are often the first place where images, videos, and reports of alleged attacks or military developments appear.

But alongside legitimate information, a wave of misleading or fabricated content is also circulating online, making it increasingly difficult to separate fact from fiction.

A Growing Digital Challenge

Cybersecurity experts warn that the rapid spread of misinformation, particularly through manipulated videos and deepfake technologies, has become a growing digital threat during periods of geopolitical instability.

Maher Yamout, Lead Security Researcher at Kaspersky, told Asharq Al-Awsat that distinguishing reliable information from false narratives becomes especially critical during emergencies, when emotions run high, and people tend to share content quickly without verifying it.

“With developments unfolding in the Middle East, government authorities in Gulf Cooperation Council countries have warned against publishing or circulating information from unknown sources,” he said.

“Fake news, misleading or inaccurate information presented as real news, becomes more dangerous during emergencies.”

Misinformation Spreads Fast

Fake news is not new, but its scale and speed have changed dramatically with the rise of social media and artificial intelligence tools. During periods of geopolitical tension, unverified reports or manipulated videos can spread within minutes, reaching millions before fact-checkers can respond.

Experts generally divide fake news into two main categories. The first involves fully fabricated content designed to influence public opinion or attract traffic to specific websites. The second contains elements of truth but presents them inaccurately because the author failed to verify all the facts or exaggerated certain details.

Both can confuse audiences during crises, particularly when users rely on social media rather than trusted news outlets for updates.

Authorities in several countries have also warned that sharing inaccurate information, even unintentionally, may expose users to legal accountability.

Governments and digital security experts are therefore urging greater digital awareness and responsibility when sharing information during sensitive periods.

AI-Powered Deception

Artificial intelligence has added a new layer to the misinformation problem through so-called deepfake technologies, fabricated videos created using machine learning techniques such as face swapping or synthetic visual generation.

In some cases, authentic footage can be altered to appear as if it documents events that never occurred.

Yamout said verifying information has become more important than ever with the spread of deepfakes.

“Artificial intelligence makes it possible to combine different video clips to produce new scenes showing events or actions that never happened in reality, often with highly realistic results,” he said.

Such technology can make manipulated videos appear convincing and potentially mislead users, especially when they circulate in emotionally charged contexts. Edited clips may appear to show attacks, military movements, or political statements that never took place.

Even when these videos are later debunked, their initial spread can still trigger confusion or public anxiety.

How to Verify Information

Cybersecurity experts say users themselves play a key role in limiting the spread of misinformation. While platforms and regulators are developing tools to detect fake content, individuals can take simple steps to verify information before sharing it.

The first step is checking the source. Websites that publish false information may contain spelling errors in their web addresses or use unusual domains that mimic well-known media outlets.

Yamout advises carefully reviewing the website address and checking the “About Us” section on unfamiliar sites. It is generally safer to rely on official sources such as government websites or trusted media organizations.

Users should also verify the identity of the author or the organization behind the report. If the author is unknown or lacks clear expertise in the subject, the information should be treated cautiously.

Comparing reports with other credible sources is also important. Professional news organizations follow editorial guidelines and verification procedures, meaning major events are typically reported by multiple reputable outlets.

Yamout also highlighted the importance of checking dates and timelines, noting that some misleading content recirculates old events and presents them as recent developments.

He added that social media algorithms can create so-called “echo chambers,” where users are shown content that aligns with their existing views and interests. This makes it essential to consult diverse and reliable sources before forming conclusions.

Playing on Emotions

Many fake news stories are designed to provoke strong emotional reactions. Sensational headlines or dramatic clips are often crafted to trigger fear, anger, or shock, emotions that increase the likelihood that users will quickly share the content.

“Many fake news stories are written in a clever way to provoke strong emotional reactions,” Yamout said.

Maintaining critical thinking and asking a simple question — why was this story written? — can help users avoid spreading misinformation, he added.

This dynamic is amplified on social media platforms, where algorithms tend to promote content that generates strong engagement. Emotionally charged posts can therefore spread faster than balanced reporting.

Spotting Signs of Manipulation

Images and videos themselves may provide clues that they have been altered. Edited photos may display distorted background lines, unnatural shadows, or unrealistic skin tones.

In manipulated videos, inconsistencies may appear in lighting, eye movement, or facial expressions. While these signs are not always easy to detect, particularly on smartphones, they can raise doubts about the authenticity of widely shared clips.

A Shared Digital Responsibility

Experts say limiting the spread of misinformation during crises requires cooperation among governments, technology companies, media organizations, and users.

Yamout said the simplest rule may also be the most effective: “If you are not sure the content is accurate, do not share it.”

Responsible sharing can help curb the spread of misinformation and protect digital communities.

As digital platforms continue to shape how information travels across borders, the ability to critically evaluate online content is becoming an essential skill.

During periods of geopolitical tension and conflict, when rumors and facts can blur, the challenge is not only cybersecurity but also protecting the credibility of information itself.