It's toxic be a board member and to write a research paper spilling trade secrets of the company that you work for. Maybe that's why the CEO doesn't talk to you about product launches anymore.
That sounds extremely toxic on its own.
Think about it for a second, someone went around asking people to sign their name on a document threatening to quit if he was fired for cause. Would you be comfortable if this was happening at your job?
I think it's a stretch to assume he was "beloved by his employees," because they signed that document. Some of those very same people have resigned (https://www.fastcompany.com/91126785/openai-resignations-are...), which is not someone you typically do if you love your boss that much.
Other possibilities are far more plausible. Like fear of reprisal if Altman returned coupled with fear he could cause OpenAI to implode if he didn't, wanting to hit the startup jackpot instead of working for a nonprofit, etc.
Only two notable figures resigned. The others worked for the superalignement group (nothing of value, just a waste of time).
However someone was going around asking them to sign a specific document, which opens up many other possibilities.
I’d seriously consider quitting on the spot if my boss at any place I’ve worked in the past asked me to sign something like that. Not signing isn’t quite the same thing as quitting, but there’s a clear implication not doing so would seriously damage any long term prospects at the company.
Some counterarguments:
1) this only works if information flows out of the organization, but OpenAI has used NDAs to suppress criticism
2) OpenAI seems to me to polarize the people with the technical skills to work there, I think I'd bet that more of them are creeped out than eager
3) people, especially young people, are very capable of believing that being a jerk is the same as being hardcore is the same as being valuable