OpenAI is a non-profit artificial intelligence research company founded in 2015 by Elon Musk, Sam Altman, Greg Brockman, Ilya Sutskever and Wojciech Zaremba.
The company aims to develop safe and beneficial AI for all humanity.
OpenAI has developed several influential technologies and products. For example, GPT (Generative Pre-trained Transformer) is a series of language models that includes GPT-4, known for its ability to generate text consistently and accurately. Other notable projects include DALL-E, an AI-based image generation system, and the multi-agent AI training platform OpenAI Gym.
In the last year, OpenAI has undergone a number of significant changes, which have had a major impact on its trajectory. In this post, I analyze the main events that have taken place in the company, as well as their future projection.
Elon Musk's exit
Elon Musk was one of the founders of OpenAI but left the company in 2018. Musk’s departure was due to differences with the board over the company’s direction. Musk wanted OpenAI to be a commercial enterprise, while the board wanted it to remain a nonprofit organization.
Musk’s departure was a major event for OpenAI, as he was one of its key investors and supporters. However, the company has continued progressing in its mission to develop safe and beneficial AI.
Sam Altman's role
Sam Altman is the co-founder and CEO of OpenAI. Altman has been a key leader in the company and has helped guide it through the changes it has undergone in recent years.
Altman advocates responsible AI and has worked to ensure that OpenAI is committed to the principles of security and transparency. He has also led collaboration between OpenAI and other AI companies and organizations.
The different points of view of the Board of Directors
OpenAI’s board of directors consisted of a group of AI and business experts. The board was responsible for overseeing the company’s management and ensuring its objectives were met.
Board members had different views on AI development. Some members believed that AI should be developed in a responsible and ethical manner, while others believed that AI should be developed without restrictions.
These differences of opinion led to tensions between the board of directors and Sam Altman. Altman’s dismissal in November 2023 was an example of these tensions.
Sam Altman's dismissal
On November 17, 2023, OpenAI’s board of directors announced the dismissal of Sam Altman. The board stated that Altman had been terminated for “not being consistently truthful in his communications” with the board.
Altman’s dismissal sent shockwaves through the artificial intelligence community. Altman was a well-respected figure in the field, and his dismissal was seen as a setback for responsible AI research.
On the same day of his dismissal, Altman announced that he would be joining Microsoft to head a new AI research division.
What were the real reasons for all this nonsense?
The truth is that it is not known for sure what the real reasons were since, beyond the considerations discussed above about the pace of AI development, it is said that the company would be very close to achieving an AGI (Artificial General Intelligence). This concept will be discussed in subsequent posts
The reconfiguration of the company and its future projection
On November 22, 2023, OpenAI announced that Altman would return to the company as CEO. The board said it had reconsidered its decision to fire Altman after talking with him and other members of the AI community.
No doubt this decision was due to the enormous pressure from OpenAi employees to return to the status quo prior to this unfortunate misunderstanding.
Altman’s return to OpenAI was met with a mixed reaction. Some saw it as a sign that the company was committed to responsible AI research, while others saw it as a sign that OpenAI’s board had lost control of the company.
The future of OpenAI is uncertain. The company has undergone a number of significant changes in the last year, and these changes have had a major impact on its trajectory.
What is clear is that Sam Altman’s power in the company is now much greater, imposing his guidelines over those of the previous Board and surrounding himself with people he trusts.
Microsoft's role in OpenAI
Microsoft is a major investor in OpenAI. The company invested $10 billion in OpenAI in 2019, giving it a 49% stake in the company.
Microsoft’s investment in OpenAI has had a significant impact on the company. Microsoft has provided OpenAI with access to its cloud computing infrastructure, Azure, and research resources.
Microsoft has also played an important role in OpenAI governance. The company has a representative on OpenAI’s board of directors and has been involved in decisions about the company’s direction.
Microsoft’s role in OpenAI has been controversial. Some experts believe that Microsoft is trying to control the company and its research. Others believe that Microsoft is helping OpenAI develop safe and beneficial AI.
Microsoft’s role in OpenAI is likely to have a significant impact on the company’s future. Microsoft could help OpenAI expand its reach and impact.
However, there is also a risk that Microsoft will use its influence in OpenAI to promote its own commercial interests.
Ultimately, the impact of Microsoft’s role in OpenAI will depend on the company’s intentions. If Microsoft is committed to the development of safe and beneficial AI, its role could be positive.
However, if Microsoft is trying to control the company for its own purposes, its role could be negative.
We will keep an eye on the company’s progress which has surprised us so much. They will certainly remain one of the major players in the field of artificial intelligence.
Have a good week!
