Navigating the OpenAI Controversy at your Thanksgiving Table

You just arrived in Dayton, Ohio after traveling overnight from SFO. During a layover in Denver, you received the news that Sam Altman has been reinstated as CEO of OpenAI after a week of confusion. You were relieved because the memes flooding your small tech startup’s Slack workspace will stop. Your colleagues are not the best at humor, but they are talented coders. Being in Silicon Valley is fulfilling, but returning home is always comforting. You greet your parents, feeling embarrassed by your old “Big Bang Theory” poster in your childhood bedroom. The family gathers, and you end up discussing OpenAI, which you were trying to avoid. The conversation is shifted to football, but a question about OpenAI comes up again. You talk about Sam Altman’s sudden ousting and uncertainty at OpenAI, and how the company was thrown into turmoil. Your knowledge in the matter backfires, leading to even more discussion of AI with your relatives. Despite your attempt to divert the conversation, your aunts and uncles continue to ask about OpenAI, its new CEO, and the impact of AI on their jobs. You try to escape the conversation by helping your mom prepare dinner.