Microsoft announced on Monday that it has hired Sam Altman, the co-founder of OpenAI and the company behind ChatGPT. This news comes after Altman was suddenly removed as the CEO of OpenAI last week, causing confusion in the AI world. The announcement was confirmed by Altman and Emmett Shear, OpenAI’s new CEO, on social media.

Shear described his new position as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Meanwhile, Altman’s removal came after an internal review at OpenAI. The company has announced changes in its management structure, with Greg Brockman stepping down as chairman of the board but remaining as the company’s president. These changes have occurred as OpenAI’s creations, such as ChatGPT and the Dall-E image generator, have brought generative AI into the mainstream, sparking debates about its use and ethical implications.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella expressed excitement about bringing Altman and Brockman on board to lead a new advanced AI research team. He also expressed interest in working with Shear to continue building out OpenAI’s capabilities. The addition of these leaders is expected to help drive innovation and advancements in generative AI technology at Microsoft.