SAN FRANCISCO, May 28 - OpenAI's board only learned of

the existence of ChatGPT when they saw it on Twitter, former

board member Helen Toner said in an interview on "The Ted AI

Show" podcast that aired Tuesday.

Toner provided her first detailed account of the backstory

behind the dramatic firing and rehiring last November of

OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman, painting a picture of a manipulative

executive who fostered a "toxic atmosphere".

Toner said one catalyst for Altman's ousting was when two

OpenAI executives reported instances of "psychological abuse" to

the board.

"They were really serious, to the point where they actually

sent us screenshots and documentation of some of the instances

they were telling us about..." she said.

Altman did not respond immediately to a request for comment.

When asked for comment, OpenAI referred to a statement

current OpenAI board chair Bret Taylor provided to "The Ted AI

Show" podcast, which said a review had been conducted into the

events of last November.

"We are disappointed that Miss Toner continues to revisit

these issues...The review concluded that the prior board's

decision was not based on concerns regarding product safety or

security, the pace of development, OpenAI's finances, or its

statements to investors, customers, or business partners."

Altman triumphantly returned to OpenAI four days after he

was fired, after nearly all of OpenAI's then 700-strong staff

threatened to leave and unless the board stepped down and

reinstated him.

On the podcast, Toner attributed Altman's swift return to

employees being told that the company would collapse without

him. Additionally, once a potential return seemed likely,

employees feared retaliation from Altman if they did not support

him, she said.

Microsoft ( MSFT )-backed OpenAI kicked off the generative

artificial intelligence craze when it launched the viral ChatGPT

chatbot in 2022.