Mira Murati’s deposition pulled back the curtain on Sam Altman’s ouster

Mira Murati's deposition in the Elon Musk vs. Sam Altman trial has pulled back the curtain on the dramatic 2023 ouster of Altman from OpenAI. According to new testimony, Murati played a pivotal dual role: initially feeding concerns about Altman's candor and management to cofounder Ilya Sutskever, which culminated in a 52-page memo presented to the board. Former board member Helen Toner stated that Murati's concerns about a pattern of deceit and manipulation materially advanced the board's decision to unanimously terminate Altman on November 16, 2023. Murati was immediately named interim CEO, but quickly ceded the role to Emmett Shear.

However, Murati soon switched allegiance. Over a 14-hour period starting that Sunday evening, she exchanged 78 text messages with Altman, discussing his reinstatement and coordinating with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella. The texts reveal a behind-the-scenes negotiation where Altman indicated that board member Adam D'Angelo was trying to find a resolution, while Altman and Nadella prepared for a backup plan. Murati publicly supported Altman's return, and within days he was back as CEO with a largely new board. The deposition highlights her inconsistent actions—both instigating the ouster and then helping orchestrate the comeback—raising questions about corporate governance and loyalty at OpenAI.