OpenAI's Board F$#k Up
Plus: Microsoft makes some chess moves and what the world thinks about AI.
Greetings Team,
What a crazy weekend we just had and things continue to develop. OpenAI regrets firing its CEO and failed at their attempt to rehire him. Microsoft made some chess moves and landed both top ex-OpenAI executives. These dramatic changes will definitely have a deep implication in the development of AI technology and who leads the way.
This is what we have this Monday:
How the OpenAI Earthquake Started
Microsoft Takes Advantage of OpenAI’s Demise
What the world thinks about AI’s Turmoil
🤔 What Does that even Mean? (Machine learning)
💡 AI Hacks and Tricks
🧰 AI Tools of the Day (Astrology)
💰 Follow the Money
"It is Obscene to keep Printing Newspapers in the Digital Era” -Vineet Kapoor
💪🏽 Important AI News and Trends.
Meta disbanded its Responsible AI team (TheVerge)
OpenAI has put ChatGPT Plus sign-ups on pause (Quartz)
This AI platform predicts heart conditions by scanning inside your eye (TC)
This company is building AI for African languages (MIT)
🌐 Web3 and Other Tech news.
Biden's team weighs joining TikTok to court young voters (Axios)
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Pink to give away 2,000 'banned' books at Florida concerts (BBC)
Cruise CEO resigns weeks after pulling entire driverless fleet (WP)
Teen Boys Are Falling for a Snapchat Nude-Photo Scam (WSJ)
The latest TikTok trend is transforming yourself into an android (HS)
How the OpenAI Earthquake Started
In a dramatic turn of events, on Friday, right after we launched our newsletter, OpenAI's CEO Sam Altman was removed by the board for communication issues, lack of transparency with the board, and perhaps for releasing technology that was not “safe enough” according to the board’s measurements. Very interesting that the Board of the company which has been at the forefront of the most coveted tech revolution will not think of the dire consequences this decision was going to have. This resulted in the resignation of President Greg Brockman and more than a dozen employees followed their lead in an internal upheaval, due to employees questioning the company's direction and AI safety protocols.
Amidst investor pressure and a temporary leadership change, there was a push to reinstate Altman, with Microsoft's involvement being considered, but to no avail. The uncertainty led to rival companies like Google's DeepMind seeing an increase in job applications from OpenAI staff. Despite the turmoil, OpenAI's interim leaders remain hopeful about the company's future and are working to stabilize the situation. This shake-up reflects deeper divisions within OpenAI and the competitive landscape of AI technology firms. OpenAI went from being the leader in AI technology with the most stable team in the space to a very uncertain organization that could be completely be dismantled any day now.
Microsoft Takes Advantage of OpenAI’s Demise
Following his removal from OpenAI, Sam Altman, along with co-founder Greg Brockman, will join Microsoft to lead a new advanced AI research team. Altman will serve as CEO of this group, a title Microsoft reserves for leaders of significant businesses within the company, suggesting substantial plans for this team. This move comes after failed negotiations for Altman's return to OpenAI, where Emmett Shear, former CEO of Twitch, has now been appointed as interim CEO.
Altman and Brockman's transition to Microsoft is notable for bringing key OpenAI talents with them, indicating a potential talent shift from OpenAI to Microsoft. Microsoft's commitment to AI research is further emphasized by its development of custom AI chips, aiming to reduce dependence on Nvidia. Despite these changes, Microsoft maintains its partnership and investment in OpenAI, signaling a continued collaboration with OpenAI's new leadership.
What the world thinks about AI’s Turmoil
The common thread among these comments is a mixture of skepticism, concern, and criticism regarding the rapid development of AI, corporate ethics, and leadership accountability in tech companies. Commenters express unease about AI's potential threat, corporate greed, the impact of non-competition agreements on employee mobility, and the implications of a high-profile CEO's departure and subsequent hiring. The narrative reflects a broader unease with the pace of technological advancement, the perceived prioritization of profit over ethics, and the transparency of corporate decisions. There's a sentiment that while AI has potential benefits, its development and application require careful and regulated consideration. The themes of corporate power dynamics, employee rights, and the need for responsible innovation are also prevalent.
Microsoft's strategic move to bring OpenAi former executives, highlights the great leadership under CEO Satya Nadella, hinting at significant competitive maneuvers—possibly acquisitions or corporate strategies—that could bolster Microsoft's position in developing advanced AI or AGI. There's a mix of admiration for Nadella's leadership, speculation about Microsoft's future in AI, and a sense of rapid obsolescence of news due to the fast-paced nature of the tech industry. The mention of "4D chess" in Twitter comments and news outlets implies that Microsoft is making complex, strategic decisions that may have several layers of implication for the future of AI and its role in the global tech landscape.
🤔 What Does that even Mean?
Machine learning
AI branch that focuses on developing software that can improve on its own through experience. It employs methods like artificial neural networks, which mimic human decision-making patterns, and genetic algorithms, which evolve solutions over time, much like natural selection.
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