Microsoft Missed Out on OpenAI Talent – Find Out Why They Didn’t Get MacBooks!

Microsoft was ready to take on the wave of OpenAI employees who would have joined the company if Sam Altman hadn’t returned as OpenAI’s CEO. In doing so, it had prepared office infrastructure, computers – including Apple MacBooks – and more.

According to CNBC and Axios, this was after hundreds of OpenAI employees signed a letter demanding that OpenAI’s board dissolve (which eventually happened) or follow Altman to Microsoft.

You might be wondering why Microsoft would give MacBooks as entry-level kits instead of its own Windows-based Surface PCs. The answer is simple: Microsoft is a software-first company, producing software for a wide variety of platforms, including MacOS and iOS. Mac development requires a Mac. And since OpenAI’s applications are multipurpose, Microsoft could have been happy to provide Macs to OpenAI’s employees.

In general, the type of laptop or kit you get during deployment depends on which team you join. So some people might get Windows-based PCs, while others might get competing Apple MacBooks.

Kevin Scott, Microsoft’s chief technology officer, spoke openly about the compensation OpenAI employees received, possibly in an attempt to persuade them.

Axios also reported that Microsoft was setting up space for OpenAI employees at LinkedIn’s (Microsoft-owned) San Francisco office, which is minutes away from OpenAI’s main building. But none of this happened when Sam Altman along with Greg Brockman returned to OpenAI.

But apparently nothing like that happened when OpenAI’s old board broke up and Sam Altman along with Greg Brockman returned to the company.

“We have reached an agreement in principle that Sam Altman will return as CEO of OpenAI with a new original board of directors including Bret Taylor (Chairman), Larry Summers and Adam D’Angelo. We are working together to work out the details. Thank you very much for your patience,” OpenAI said in X (former Twitter).