What does OpenAI firing Sam Altman mean for the Middle East?

Microsoft announced on Monday that it had hired Sam Altman, only days after his ouster as CEO from ChatGPT creator OpenAI, a shocking move in the artificial intelligence industry that could have ramifications for the Middle East.

OpenAI announced the American tech entrepreneur's departure in a statement on Friday, saying he “was not consistently candid in his communications with the board” without providing further details. His replacement, interim CEO Emmett Shear said he would launch an independent review of the firing and release a report.

OpenAI is the creator of ChatGPT, an AI-powered chatbot that users can exchange messages with. ChatGPT can compose texts, compile research and perform a variety of other tasks within seconds. OpenAI’s technology is available in a variety of countries throughout the Middle East, including Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey and most of the Gulf, per its website.

Bloomberg reported on Sunday that Altman had been traveling to the region in the weeks leading up to his ouster in an effort to raise billions of dollars for an AI-focused chip company that could produce semiconductors and compete with American giant Nvidia.