Altman heads to Microsoft after his firing sends OpenAI into a tailspin

Turmoil enveloped OpenAI on Monday as a majority of the startup's employees threatened to quit the firm that founded ChatGPT and follow out ousted chief Sam Altman, who joined Microsoft earlier in the day, hours after the artificial intelligence startup appointed former Twitch boss Emmett Shear as its interim chief executive officer (CEO).

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Shear, dealing with the dramatic fallout of the OpenAI board's unexpected removal of Altman as CEO, promised to open an investigation into the firing, consider new governance for the company and continue its path of making available technology like its viral chatbot.

Silicon Valley has been gripped by unceasing drama and twists following Altman's dismissal on Friday over a so-called "breakdown of communications". And even as it remains unclear what prompted the four-person board to remove Altman - whose pioneering work with ChatGPT kicked off the generative AI craze what has unfolded since then puts soap dramas to shame.

Murmur of Altman's likely return to OpenAI floated throughout the tech town on Sunday, fuelled after the 38-year-old visited the firm's San Francisco office.

He even posted a photo of his visit on X. "First and last time I ever wear one of these," Altman said in the photo, where he is seen holding up a guest pass.