SAN FRANCISCO, CA—In a bizarre announcement that left the industry in disarray Friday, OpenAI announced that it was planning on pivoting its business from artificial intelligence to footwear, causing shares in the AI research company to go into freefall. "While the rise of AI development of the last few years has led to great opportunities for unprecedented growth here at OpenAI. We have found that there is now a more lucrative and viable path for the business to go in. That is why today we are announcing that OpenAI will be exiting the AI industry and pivoting into the exciting world of footwear," said a press release on the company's website. "To reflect this new chapter and focus of the business, OpenAI is intending to change its name to ‘OpenSoles’ to usher in this new era of disruptive innovation as we enter this new market." The announcement resulted in shares prices of OpenAI tumbling faster than Joe Biden down the steps of Air Force One, with shares dropping from $685 a share to $1, a 99% decrease. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stated that the company would begin acquiring shoes from an unnamed manufacturer, with early shoe designs looking eerily like Crocs with an OpenAI logo on them. At press time, Mr. Altman was alternating between saying the words "shoes" and "AI" in an interview to see which word made the stock go higher in real-time.