Axios

Sony has launched the PlayStation Portal, an unusual, handheld gaming machine that appears to have sold out of its first round of shipments.

Why it matters: The Portal, launched last Thursday, is a slick but limited device, a tiptoe back into handheld gaming for Sony in a world gaga over playing games on phones and Nintendo Switches.

It's been a chaotic few days for several high-profile tech companies — and their influential leaders — working to shape the future.

Driving the news: Coming in at a 9.6 on the wow-o-meter: generative AI darling OpenAI's ongoing self-destruction, which began Friday with the board's sudden and largely unexplained removal of CEO Sam Altman.

The White House on Monday launched Threads accounts for President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Why it matters: The accounts could help put Threads on the map and boost its legitimacy as the platform becomes a more viable alternative to X, formerly Twitter.

X CEO Linda Yaccarino is defending the social media company despite marketing leaders pushing for her to resign, while ignoring their key complaint on Elon Musk's conduct.

Driving the news: Yaccarino on Monday expressed her commitment to X in a post on the platform.

An overwhelming majority of OpenAI's 700-plus employees have signed an open letter urging OpenAI's board to resign after the ouster of ex-CEO Sam Altman.

Why it matters: The employees threatened to move to the new Microsoft research unit that Altman will build: "We will take this step imminently, unless all current board members resign."

Twitch co-founder Emmett Shear became OpenAI's new interim CEO on Monday, the ChatGPT parent's third leader in as many days after Sam Altman, its former CEO, was abruptly ousted by the board.

Why it matters: Shear, now at the helm of one of the key companies behind the development artificial intelligence, has publicly supported a "slowdown" of the emerging tech to ensure it's safe.

OpenAI chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, who led a board rebellion at the company to force out CEO Sam Altman, now says he "deeply regret[s] my participation in the board's actions."

Why it matters: More than 500 of OpenAI's 700-plus employees threatened to resign in an open letter if Sutskever and other board members do not step down.

OpenAI's board has hired Twitch co-founder Emmett Shear as its interim CEO, a source familiar with the matter told Axios.

Why it matters: The move gives the ChatGPT maker its third CEO in three days and means that ousted former CEO Sam Altman, who'd been in weekend-long talks with the board, will not be returning. Instead, the pair are heading to Microsoft to lead a new research unit.

In the latest twist in a weekend of AI-related drama, Microsoft has hired ousted OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and former OpenAI president Greg Brockman to lead a new research unit, CEO Satya Nadella announced late Sunday night.

Why it matters: Microsoft has been OpenAI's largest investor and partner and has used its products to form the core of its Copilot products.

Kyle Vogt, a co-founder of Cruise — the self-driving car company GM acquired in 2016 — resigned on Sunday evening.

Why it matters: The company has been embattled in recent months as tensions with local authorities over safety have boiled over.

Brand chiefs and marketing leaders have reached out to X CEO Linda Yaccarino to push her to resign, sources told Axios.

Why it matters: "The issue is no longer about content adjacencies or content moderation. It's simply that the owner is not someone marketers can do business with," said Lou Paskalis, founder & CEO of marketing consultancy AJL Advisory and former head of global media at Bank of America.