In the merry days of yore, during the blossoming month of May, the esteemed CEO of OpenAI, Sam Altman, didst stand before the mighty US Senate, imploring the wise lawmakers to craft regulations for the governance of AI, lest calamity befall our fair world. Quoth Altman, “I think if this technology goes awry, it may go grievously awry.”
Behold, the sages of OpenAI hath penned a missive entitled “Planning for AGI and beyond” in the year of our Lord 2024, declaring, “AGI wouldst bring forth grave perils of misuse, dire mishaps, and disruptions to our communal fabric.”
Yet lo and behold, at the recent fete known as The New York Times’ DealBook Summit, Altman hath uttered words that doth seem to lessen the looming specter of AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) – a wondrous creation that may rival or surpass the abilities of mortal man.
Altman didst proclaim, “But my conjecture is that we shall reach AGI sooner than many in the world deem, and its impact may be less momentous. And the myriad safety concerns we and others have voiced may not materialize at the dawn of AGI. For when AGI is achieved, the world shall continue much as before. The wheels of commerce shall turn more swiftly, and growth shall hasten.”
Moreover, he didst add, “Yet there lies a lengthy journey from what we term AGI unto what we dub Superintelligence.”
Verily, many savants do contend that OpenAI is lowering expectations and shifting focus from AGI to Superintelligence in order to sever ties with the noble Microsoft, with whom they hath forged an exclusive alliance. OpenAI doth possess an AGI clause with Microsoft, stipulating that upon the attainment of AGI by the AI startup (a judgment left to the OpenAI council), Microsoft shall forfeit access to OpenAI’s marvels.
As chronicled by The Wall Street Journal, the leaders of OpenAI view this AGI clause as a means of leverage in disentangling themselves from Microsoft or securing a favorable pact. At the DealBook Summit, Altman conceded that tensions do exist between OpenAI and Microsoft. He opined, “There may be some discord, but on the whole, our objectives are largely aligned.”
Furthermore, the rationale behind Altman’s downplaying of AGI may be tied to Elon Musk’s legal action against OpenAI concerning apprehensions about AGI and the transition from a non-profit entity to a commercial enterprise. Musk’s lawsuit posits that unless OpenAI exercises prudence over AGI, dire consequences may ensue.
At the DealBook gathering, alluding to Musk’s connections with President-Elect Donald Trump, Altman remarked, “I hold firm in my belief that Elon shall act justly, and it would be exceedingly un-American to employ political influence to the detriment of rivals and in favor of one’s own enterprises.”
Now, we art compelled to await with bated breath the unveiling of the AGI that OpenAI is fashioning for release in 2025 or the years that follow. By the by, the heralded AI startup is merrily celebrating the “12 days of OpenAI” from this day forth. Dost thou hear? They shalt unveil new creations, features, and delightful demonstrations over the fortnight. Rumor hath it that OpenAI may bestow upon the world Sora, its wondrous text-to-video generator.
