OpenAI co-founder Sam Altman was removed as CEO by the company's board of directors but was swiftly reinstated after a weekend of outcry from employees and shareholders. Last week, Reuters reported that the ouster came shortly after researchers had contacted the board, warning of a dangerous discovery they feared could have unintended consequences.

The internal project named Q* could be a breakthrough in the startup's search for what's known as artificial general intelligence (AGI).

OpenAI defines AGI as autonomous systems that surpass humans in most economically valuable tasks. However, Microsoft President Brad Smith rejected claims of a dangerous breakthrough.

"There's no probability that you'll see this so-called AGI, where computers are more powerful than people, in the next 12 months. It will take years if not many decades, but I still think the time to focus on safety is now," he said.