The latest news, headlines, and business stories for December 7

OpenAI employees threatened to quit during Sam Altman's ouster, but it was reportedly a bluff, according to current and former staff. While the entire company signed a letter stating they'd follow Altman to Microsoft if he wasn't reinstated, insiders claim no one really wanted to do it. The real issue was a tender offer that was about to give employees a chance to make a fortune selling existing vested equity to outside investors, which would have been spoiled by the walkout.

In other news, Google is launching Gemini, its generative AI model, in phases to compete with OpenAI. BlackRock is reimagining the role of CEO Larry Fink's chief of staff, making it a permanent position. Meanwhile, new technologies are enabling homeowners to sell excess solar power to their neighbors, potentially creating a lucrative side hustle. Finally, self-checkout theft is reportedly a bigger problem than previously thought, with new data revealing the extent of the financial hit to retailers.

Key takeaways

OpenAI employees threatened to quit during Sam Altman's ouster, but it was reportedly a bluff as no one really wanted to leave, according to current and former OpenAI staffers.
Microsoft viewed hiring OpenAI's employees as a last resort, and the employees themselves had a less-than-stellar impression of working for "legacy" tech.
The real issue preventing OpenAI employees from joining Microsoft was a tender offer that was about to be made, which would allow employees to make a fortune selling existing vested equity to outside investors.
News of OpenAI employees' bluff is the latest crack in the Altman facade, painting the past few weeks' events in a different light and forcing companies to ensure they aren't solely relying on the startup.

The latest news, headlines, and business stories for December 7

Key takeaways

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