OpenAI was founded in 2015 as a nonprofit organization with the mission of developing artificial intelligence in a way that benefits humanity as a whole, without the need to generate financial returns. The goal was to put ethics before profits and safety before the race to develop and commercialize technology that its founders believed could pose an existential threat to humanity.
Partnership with Microsoft
OpenAI has significantly evolved thanks to its close partnership with Microsoft, which has utilized ChatGPT and Dall-E models in developing its own AI tools, including the integrated chat bot in the Bing search engine. In return, OpenAI received billions of dollars in investments from Microsoft, including access to the massive computing resources required by modern AI systems. The astronomical computing power costs required by these systems have been a major barrier for startups trying to compete with large tech companies.
CEO Departure and Appointment at Microsoft
After Altman was ousted from OpenAI, he was quickly appointed by Microsoft to lead its AI research team. This move was seen as a major victory for Microsoft, allowing it to work with Altman and potentially many of his supporters without the constraints of the OpenAI nonprofit board.
Impact of Events on OpenAI
What will happen to OpenAI, or what remains of it, is still unclear. There are even suggestions that Altman might return triumphantly to OpenAI, though there may be reservations from board members about allowing the company to be destroyed. Experts agree that the bold experiment in technology management represented by OpenAI has failed.
Impact of Collaboration with Microsoft
Working with Altman and his supporters at Microsoft without the oversight of a nonprofit board could be a more promising development for Microsoft than its initial investment in OpenAI. Many experts had predicted that numerous Altman-loyal OpenAI employees would join him at Microsoft, and that the flow of talent from OpenAI to a new unit at Microsoft would come with fewer legal restrictions.
The Future of OpenAI
What will happen to OpenAI in the future is uncertain, but there is a possibility that it might return as a smaller research organization that strictly follows its founding mission. There remains a significant question about the future of ChatGPT, which attracts over 100 million users weekly. The chat bot might continue to operate with a small team, with resources provided through its long-standing partnership with Microsoft.
Overall, it can be said that the idea that the board of the nonprofit OpenAI could lead an artificial intelligence revolution while maintaining control has come to an end.
Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/11/20/microsoft-sam-altman-hire/
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