In the wake of CTO Mira Murati’s sudden exit from OpenAI, there’s buzz that CEO Sam Altman might soon get a share in the company’s equity. This comes as OpenAI is seen deviating from its long-standing non-profit model.

According to sources disclosed by Reuters, OpenAI is contemplating a shift towards becoming a profit-making benefit corporation, putting it on par with competitors like Anthropic and Elon Musk’s xAI. The non-profit OpenAI board, which currently supervises OpenAI’s profit-oriented operations, is set to cede control while maintaining a minority interest in the newly formed for-profit OpenAI entity.

The intention behind this transformation is to make OpenAI more appealing to external investors, who’ve been disgruntled with the company’s existing cap on returns. However, this move is likely to provoke reservations within the AI safety community, raising questions about OpenAI’s ability to self-regulate in its quest for highly intelligent AI.

As per Reuters, the intricacies and timeline of the restructuring plan are still under discussion.