Microsoft hires ousted OpenAI CEO Sam Altman

Tech giant Microsoft has hired ousted OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman to head up its new advanced AI research team.

Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella announced the surprise move on Monday, just days after Altman was forced out of OpenAI.

According to Nadella, Altman and OpenAI's Greg Brockman, who quit in protest after an alleged corporate ambush of Altman, will join "together with colleagues" at Microsoft, a key investor in OAI.

Nadella also confirmed that former Twitch boss Emmett Shear would be replacing Altman as interim CEO of the ChatGPT creator after he suddenly stepped down from the streamer in March, leaving the platform after more than a decade.

As of 1030 GMT, Microsoft shares were up 2.16% in pre-market trading at $377.85 each.

Reporting by Iain Gilbert at Sharecast.com