Nadella says the attempt to remove Altman from OpenAI was ‘amateur city’
Microsoft's Nadella just called OpenAI's board move 'amateur city'—and he said it under oath.
Why it matters
Nadella's courtroom testimony reveals Microsoft's strategic calculations during the 2023 OpenAI coup attempt, exposing internal power dynamics and the stakes of AI lab leadership for major cloud/AI partners. This is the clearest public insight yet into why Microsoft doubled down on Altman.
The key facts
5 to knowNadella testified in Elon Musk lawsuit regarding 2023 OpenAI board removal attempt
Nadella characterized the removal attempt as 'amateur city'
Testimony covers Microsoft's decision to back Altman during coup
Reveals Microsoft's strategic interests in OpenAI leadership stability
2023 timeframe: December OpenAI board coup (Altman removal/reinstatement)
Go to the source
Financial Times Technologyft.com
Publisher excerpt: Microsoft chief explains his decision to back AI lab’s boss in 2023 coup attempt during testimony in Elon Musk’s lawsuit