REVEALED: OpenAI leaders accused CEO Sam Altman of being 'psychologically abusive' and 'creating chaos' before he was sensationally fired by the board

Before he was recently fired, and then rapidly re-hired, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman faced internal complaints from senior leaders at the company, according to a new report.

Several senior leaders approached the OpenAI board and accused Altman of being psychologically abusive and creating chaos at the startup, the Washington Post reported on Friday, citing two people familiar with the board's thinking.

Those complaints about Altman were a major factor in the board's decision to fire him on November 17.  

Altman was brought back five days later, and the company's board membership was shuffled, after major investor Microsoft backed Altman.

OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment from DailyMail.com.

Before he was recently fired, and then rapidly re-hired, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman faced internal complaints from senior leaders at the company, according to a new report

Initially, OpenAI's board said that Altman had been fired because 'he was not consistently candid in his communications with the board, hindering its ability to exercise its responsibilities.'

Later reporting suggested that the board coup stemmed from a clash over technological advances, and a dispute between champions of fast innovation and a faction more concerned about safety.

'It is clear that there were real misunderstandings between me and members of the board,' Altman posted on X after he was brought back to lead the company.

'For my part, it is incredibly important to learn from this experience and apply those learnings as we move forward as a company,' he added.

The new report is the first to suggest complaints from senior leaders about Altman, who is seen as enjoying fierce loyalty through the company's ranks.

Developing story, more to follow.