OpenAI’s board welcomes Microsoft executive Dee Templeton, who assumes the role of a non-voting observer in a larger board reshuffling, as reported by Bloomberg. Templeton, currently the Vice President for Technology and Research Partnerships and Operations at Microsoft, brings her 25 years of experience to the renowned artificial intelligence company.

In a board restructuring move, OpenAI faced headlines in November when CEO Sam Altman faced a brief ousting by the board. Altman was later reinstated after over 700 employees threatened to leave and side with Microsoft in solidarity. Upon his return, Altman announced that Microsoft would take a non-voting observer position on OpenAI’s board.

The non-voting observer role grants Microsoft the ability to attend board meetings and access confidential information without possessing voting rights on crucial matters like director elections.

Dee Templeton, a veteran in the tech industry, has reportedly commenced attending OpenAI board meetings, signifying an active engagement in the company’s strategic decisions.

OpenAI, in response to the need for board reconstitution, introduced new members, including Bret Taylor, former co-CEO of Salesforce, and Larry Summers, former U.S. Treasury Secretary. Additionally, Adam D’Angelo, CEO of Quora and a current director, has been retained on the board.

Despite requests from Reuters, both OpenAI and Microsoft have yet to provide comments on the recent developments. The addition of Dee Templeton and the strategic restructuring of the board underscore a dynamic phase for OpenAI, marking a collaborative effort with Microsoft in shaping the company’s future trajectory.