Microsoft’s role in OpenAI governance unclear after Altman’s return | Binance founder pleads guilty in Seattle

Where is Microsoft’s board seat? That’s the big question after the announcement overnight that Sam Altman (above) will return to lead OpenAI under a reformulated non-profit board. 

• The news brings an apparent end to a wild five days that started Friday with Altman’s abrupt removal. The mess spotlighted OpenAI’s unusual corporate structure, and demonstrated Microsoft’s tenuous influence despite its giant financial stake. 

• It’s not clear if Microsoft will get more control in the end. OpenAI says the details are still being worked out by its new board, chaired by former Salesforce co-CEO Bret Taylor, with former Treasury Secretary Larry Summers as a new addition, along with existing board member Adam D’Angelo, co-founder of Quora.

• "We believe this is a first essential step on a path to more stable, well-informed, and effective governance,” Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella said in a statement. Read more.

The federal courthouse in Seattle was the scene of a pivotal event in the U.S. government’s crypto crackdown as prosecutors cemented a settlement in a landmark case against the world’s largest cryptocurrency exchange.

• Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao, appearing inside the courthouse at 7th Avenue and Stewart Street, pleaded guilty to a range of securities law violations that prosecutors said enabled money laundering, terrorist financing, and other illegal activities on the cryptocurrency exchange, allegedly evading federal law for nearly four years.

• Zhao (above, second from left) avoided reporters and photographers on Tuesday as he left the courthouse, walking down a side stairway to a waiting vehicle. Zhao will step down as CEO and Binance will pay $4.3 billion in penalties and forfeitures.

• Read more about why the case was pursued in Seattle. 

In a time fraught with political discord and cynicism, Poppy MacDonald (above) is a champion for the shining ideal of democracy — namely a government that’s striving to improve the lives of its citizens. 

• As president at USAFacts, a nonpartisan clearinghouse of federal, state and local government data, MacDonald is working to provide that information, whether it’s trends in firearm deaths, changes in U.S. lifespans, or foreign aid.

• MacDonald is one of six “Uncommon Thinkers” who will be recognized at the GeekWire Gala on Dec. 6. The inventors, scientists, technologists and entrepreneurs are transforming industries and driving positive change in the world. Read more about MacDonald.

Seattle passed a new law Tuesday that requires companies such as DoorDash and Grubhub to pay a 10-cent per-order fee. The revenue will help pay for the implementation and enforcement of recently passed gig worker protection laws. Read more.

Is this new app the holiday download you need? Seattle-area startup Hugsi wants to help people better understand the psychology of gift giving and receiving. It starts with a simple quiz and could improve what you give and get this season. Read more.

Hot Links:

• Amazon created a free service called PartyRock that lets anyone build simple generative AI apps. (Andy Jassy)

• Who cares that much about their boss? The Daily Show lampoons the saga at OpenAI and asks why the people creating technology to destroy everyone's jobs are fighting so hard to save one guy's job. (The Daily Show)