Technology entrepreneur and investor Reid Hoffman has announced his departure from Microsoft’s board of directors after nearly a decade of service, signaling a renewed focus on startup building and artificial intelligence innovation.

Hoffman joined Microsoft’s board following the company’s acquisition of LinkedIn in 2016 for $26.2 billion. During his tenure, he witnessed several of Microsoft’s most significant AI-related investments and strategic partnerships.

Among those milestones was Microsoft’s initial $1 billion investment in OpenAI in 2019. Hoffman was also an early investor in OpenAI and served on its board before stepping down in 2023 due to potential conflicts of interest.

More recently, he played a role during Microsoft’s acquisition-style partnership with Inflection AI, a company he co-founded, which resulted in Microsoft hiring key personnel, including AI executive Mustafa Suleyman.

Speaking on a recent podcast alongside Microsoft Chief Executive Officer Satya Nadella, Hoffman revealed that he intends to dedicate more time to Manus, an artificial intelligence-driven drug discovery company where he serves as co-founder and chairman.

Hoffman expressed confidence in Manus’ progress, particularly its efforts to develop advanced AI systems capable of accelerating breakthroughs in chemistry and cancer research.

He described the company’s current momentum as a key reason for his decision to return to what he called “founder mode.”

Source: TechCrunch