We’re still waiting to get a final answer as to why OpenAI CEO Sam Altman was unceremoniously booted from the company last month, only to be reinstated following several days of sheer chaos. Some theories have since surfaced as to why, from a potentially dangerous next-generation AI model to simple boardroom drama. Now, if the latest news is anything to go by, it sounds as though Altman’s own personal investments may have played a role as well. As Wired reports, OpenAI signed a letter of intent to invest $51 million in AI chips for a startup called Rain AI — a company Altman had already invested in himself. In other words, Altman almost certainly had a financial interest in a company that was poised to get OpenAI funding — raises ethical questions at the strangely-structured OpenAI and further obscuring one of the most bewildering tech stories of the year in even more mystery. Rain, a San Francisco-based company, is hoping to replicate some of the human brain’s functions using a computer chip dubbed a “neuromorphic processing unit.” According to documents obtained by Wired, Altman had already invested more than $1 million in the company prior to the letter of intent. “Over four years ago, we signed a nonbinding Letter of Intent with Rain to engage in discussions regarding a written agreement,” an OpenAI spokesperson told the publication. “We have not proceeded with next steps,” she said, adding that “we are open to future discussions with Rain.” How much did the intermingling…OpenAI Agreed to Pay $51 Million to Company Linked to Sam Altman