As the first venture investor in OpenAI, I have seen firsthand how boards can make or break a company. The recent drama surrounding the organization has further reinforced my belief that the wrong board members can have a detrimental impact on a business’s success. While titles like “Director of Strategy at Georgetown’s Center for Security and Emerging Technology” may sound impressive, they often lead to a false sense of understanding about the complex process of entrepreneurial innovation.

One of the biggest issues facing OpenAI is its board members’ adherence to the religion of “effective altruism,” which has led to misapplications that could set back humanity’s progress towards artificial intelligence. For instance, imagine a world where everyone has access to free doctors and tutors thanks to AI advancements. That is what is at stake if we do not approach AI development with caution and responsibility.

In my opinion, the best companies are those whose visions are led and executed by their founding entrepreneurs, who put everything on the line to challenge the status quo. Founders like Sam Altman take risks head-on while remaining focused on making the world a better place. While there are always risks associated with good leadership, these risks are far outweighed by the benefits that come from having strong founders guiding an organization towards success.