OpenAI’s Sora AI engine allows users to create AI-generated videos from text-based input.
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OpenAI Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar is looking to reassure her investors that the highly regarded artificial intelligence startup remains in a strong position and is poised to close a major funding round soon, despite losing top talent this week.
In an email to OpenAI investors seen by CNBC, Friar mentioned start of Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati, who announced her departure on Wednesday. Later that day, Sam Altman said two top research executives, Bob McGrew and Barret Zoph, would also leave.
“I personally wanted to reach out following the news of Mira leaving OpenAI,” Friar wrote in the letter seen by CNBC. “While a change in leadership is never easy, I want to make sure you have the full context.”
Friar added that, “We are incredibly proud of everything she has helped build” and said the San Francisco-based company still has a “talented leadership” to compete with.
OpenAI, powered by Microsoft and recently collaborated with Apple on AI for iPhone, is preparing to complete a project worth 6.5 billion USD funding roundAccording to sources familiar with the matter, the company will be valued at about $150 billion. According to sources, Thrive Capital is leading the round and plans to invest $1 billion.
Friar said in the email that the funding round was oversubscribed and will close next week. She said the team plans to hold a series of calls with investors to introduce the team to key leaders of the research and product teams.
“Overall, we remain laser-focused on bringing AI to everyone and building sustainable revenue models that drive our operations and deliver value to our investors,” Friar wrote. our private and staff members.” “The company is excited to be with us as we enter our next chapter,” she wrote.
OpenAI declined to comment on the email.
Murati’s departure comes after six and a half years at the company. She briefly served as interim CEO last year following the board’s departure abruptly fired Altman. When Altman was quickly reinstated, Murati returned to the CTO role.
Sarah Friar was appointed OpenAI Chief Financial Officer
Anjali Sundaram | CNBC
The company is facing the loss of key executives. Co-founder John Schulman and chief safety officer Jan Leike have left to join rival Anthropic. Co-founder Ilya Sutskever has left to start another AI company, while another founder, Greg Brockman, is on leave.
Friar said Mark Chen will take on the role of senior vice president of research and leaders such as Kevin Weil, who joined from Metaand Srinivas Narayanan are “the right people to continue pushing the boundaries of innovation”.
Friar was previously the CEO of Next toand before that was chief financial officer at Blockformerly Square.
Also on Thursday, at an all-hands meeting, Altman refuse According to one attendee, there are plans for him to receive a “huge stake” in the company, calling reports of such developments “untrue”.
Altman and Friar both said at the meeting conducted by video that investors had raised concerns about Altman not having a stake in the company he co-founded nearly nine years ago, said the person, who requested anonymity because of the meeting. said. for employees only.
