Who is Emmett Shear, the new CEO of OpenAI
Sam Altman didn't make a comeback as OpenAI's CEO, even after the executives tried to bring him back. Mira Murati was filling in as interim CEO after Altman left, but now she's out too. Instead, Emmett Shear, one of the Twitch co-founders, is taking over as the interim CEO, as per The Information. Curious about this new guy leading OpenAI after all that weekend drama post-Altman's departure? Here's all you need to know about him.
Shear's early life and educational background
Shear's journey started in Seattle, Washington. As a youngster, he was a big fan of video games, especially StarCraft. Raised in an entrepreneurial environment, Shear's upbringing laid the groundwork for his future endeavors. He started his education at The Evergreen School and later graduated from Yale University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science.
His ventures: Kiko Calendar to Justin.tv
In 2005, Shear and Justin Kan created Kiko Calendar, an online calendar app. They faced tough competition from Google Calendar and other apps. Yahoo expressed interest in acquiring it but things didn't work out. Kiko Calendar was eventually sold on eBay. After that, Shear teamed up with Kan, Michael Seibel, and Kyle Vogt to start Justin.tv. It grew into a huge platform for streaming all kinds of stuff online, marking a pivotal moment in internet broadcasting.
He was pivotal in changing live game streaming with Twitch
The birth of Twitch, an evolution from Justin.tv, revolutionized live game streaming. Launched at E3 in 2011, Twitch quickly became the epicenter for gamers, offering interactive experiences and avenues for streamers to monetize their content. Under Shear's guidance, Twitch was acquired by Amazon for an impressive $970 million in 2014. Shear's impactful 16-year tenure as CEO at Twitch drew to a close in March 2023, marking the end of an era for the platform he co-founded and nurtured.
Shear continues to shape the world of technology
Shear's influence extends beyond his roles at Twitch and now OpenAI. In June 2011, he joined Y Combinator as a part-time partner and continues to provide guidance to new start-ups. Y Combinator is the same company that Altman headed from 2014 to 2019. In 2012, Forbes Magazine included him in their 30 Under 30 list.
