OpenAI’s ineffective altruists versus Sam Altman

Power struggles within companies are not uncommon and most companies survive them. But the sudden ousting of the CEO by the OpenAI board Sam Altman the past week is looking more and more like an ill-advised kamikaze run. It is difficult to see who benefits from this melodrama, other than the opponents of innovation.

News of Mr. Altman’s firing Friday evening shocked Silicon Valley. Mr. Altman helped launch OpenAI in 2015 with a mission to responsibly develop artificial intelligence for the benefit of humanity. He has since become the public face of the technology, with media appearances and testimony before Congress.