According to the interview with Helen Toner, a former OpenAI board member, the board's decision to fire Sam Altman as CEO was due to several concerning issues:

1. Lack of Transparency: Altman repeatedly withheld important information from the board, such as the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022 and his ownership of the OpenAI startup fund, despite claiming to be an independent board member.

2. Inaccurate Information: Altman provided the board with inaccurate information about the company's safety processes, making it impossible for the board to properly oversee and evaluate the effectiveness of these measures.

3. Breach of Trust: The board lost trust in Altman's leadership due to a pattern of behavior that included lying, manipulation, and what some executives described as "psychological abuse." Multiple senior leaders privately shared their grave concerns with the board.

4. Inability to Uphold Mission: The board concluded that Altman was not the right person to lead OpenAI in its mission to develop AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) systems that benefit all of humanity, as the company's original nonprofit structure had intended.

Ultimately, the board felt that Altman's conduct had undermined their ability to provide independent oversight and ensure the company's public good mission remained the top priority. Despite an internal investigation finding that Altman's behavior did not mandate removal, the board still believed a change in leadership was necessary for the best interests of OpenAI and its mission.

The recent developments at OpenAI raise significant concerns about the company's commitment to safety and security. According to the former board member Helen Toner, there were long-standing issues with CEO Sam Altman's behavior, including:

• Withholding information from the board, such as the launch of ChatGPT in November 2022 without prior notice.
• Failing to disclose his ownership of the OpenAI startup fund, despite claiming to be an independent board member.
• Providing inaccurate information to the board about the company's safety processes, making it difficult for the board to assess their effectiveness.

These allegations, coupled with the departures of senior leaders Ilya Sutskever and Dario Amodei, who cited concerns about OpenAI's prioritization of new features over safety, paint a troubling picture.

The formation of a new Safety and Security committee within OpenAI, led by Altman himself, does little to inspire confidence. This self-regulatory approach, without independent oversight, is unlikely to be effective in addressing the deep-seated issues highlighted by the former board members.

The lack of transparency and the apparent disregard for safety concerns are particularly worrying given OpenAI's position as a leader in AI research and development. As the company pushes towards more advanced AI systems, the potential risks to society cannot be overlooked.

In conclusion, the concerns raised about OpenAI's focus on safety and security are well-founded and deserve serious attention. Effective regulation and independent oversight may be necessary to ensure that the development of powerful AI technologies is aligned with the broader public interest.

The new committee is responsible for making recommendations on critical Safety and Security decisions for all OpenAI projects. The committee will evaluate and further develop OpenAI's processes and safeguards over the next 90 days.

The committee is led by directors Brett Taylor, Adam D'Angelo, Nicole Seligman, and Sam Altman. Technical and policy experts from OpenAI, including the heads of preparedness, safety systems, alignment science, security, and the chief scientist, will also be on the committee. Additionally, OpenAI will retain and consult with other safety, security, and technical experts to support this work, including former cybersecurity officials.

After the 90-day review period, the Safety and Security committee will share its recommendations with the full OpenAI board. Following the board's review, OpenAI will publicly share an update on the adopted recommendations in a manner consistent with safety and security.

This move by OpenAI comes amidst concerns raised by former board members about the company's prioritization of safety and security. The formation of this internal committee raises questions about its independence and ability to provide meaningful oversight, given the involvement of CEO Sam Altman and other OpenAI leadership. The public will be watching closely to see if this committee leads to substantive changes in OpenAI's approach to AI safety.