Emmett Shear: OpenAI’s New Leader and His Controversial Tweeting Past

Emmett Shear: OpenAI's New Leader and His Controversial Tweeting Past

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Emmett Shear, recently appointed CEO of OpenAI, is a notable figure in Silicon Valley. Previously, he was the CEO and co-founder of Twitch, the popular live-streaming platform. He took over the CEO role at OpenAI after Sam Altman was dismissed by the board. However, Shear’s history of controversial tweets has raised concerns about his suitability for the position.

Shear has long been a prominent name in the tech world, known both for his business achievements and his active social media presence. Recently, some of his tweets from just a few months ago have come back into the spotlight, creating unease regarding his leadership at OpenAI, a leading AI research organization.

In some of these tweets, Shear delves into divisive and sensitive topics. For example, one tweet mentioned a preference for actual Nazis over a potential end of all value, while another discussed rape fantasies and non-consent in a disturbingly casual manner.

These worrisome tweets have caused many to question how they might affect Shear’s role at OpenAI. The organization, famous for its AI chatbot ChatGPT, has been a frontrunner in artificial intelligence under Altman’s leadership. The board’s choice to appoint Shear as interim CEO despite his previous social media blunders has sparked considerable discussion among industry experts about the thoroughness of his vetting process.

Shear’s leadership began during a chaotic time at OpenAI, following Altman’s firing due to a loss of confidence from the board. Shear’s appointment was confirmed early Monday, ending a weekend filled with rumors and speculations. Yet, he has not publicly addressed his controversial tweets since taking over. These past actions might pose significant challenges as he leads the influential AI company.

OpenAI is at a pivotal moment after the immense success of ChatGPT brought the company significant attention. The scrutiny on Shear will be intense, as everyone will be watching to see if he can reform OpenAI’s management culture and guide its AI advancements responsibly. His past online behavior casts a shadow over his new leadership role right from the beginning.

Update 1:35 p.m. PT: Vinod Khosla, OpenAI’s first venture capital backer, has launched a social media campaign against CEO Emmett Shear, calling for his resignation.

“Time for @eshear to resign before he becomes the only employee of @OpenAI. Time to DM him everyone.” — Vinod Khosla (@vkhosla) November 20, 2023

“Wow!!! OpenAI’s new interim CEO Emmett Shear has used X to post unfiltered thoughts on sexuality and criticize his new company’s biggest backer, Microsoft.” — Vinod Khosla (@vkhosla) November 20, 2023

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