On Monday, it was announced that Sam Altman, co-founder and former CEO of startup OpenAI, would be joining Microsoft to lead a new AI research team. This news came just three days after Altman was ousted as CEO of the company.

OpenAI, which developed the popular AI tool ChatGPT, has been heavily invested in by Microsoft, with several billion dollars poured into the startup. The technology has also been incorporated into Microsoft’s own products, such as the Bing search engine.

Altman responded to the news on social media platform X, stating “The mission continues.” Microsoft has expressed its excitement about having Altman and Brockman join their team and contributing their expertise in AI research.

The decision to dismiss Altman as CEO came as a surprise to many when OpenAI’s board of directors announced it on Friday. They cited a lack of consistency in his communications and a loss of confidence in his ability to manage the company. Several other leaders in leadership positions at OpenAI also announced their departure following Altman’s dismissal.

ChatGPT was first launched on November 30, 2022, which marked the beginning of the race in Artificial Intelligence.