With Sam Altman’s return, a shift in AI from idealism to pragmatism
The lasting consequences of a head-spinning week
EVEN BY TECH’S fast-moving standards, the past week in the world of artificial intelligence (AI) was head-spinning. On November 17th the board of OpenAI booted out Sam Altman, the ChatGPT-maker’s boss. By November 20th Mr Altman had been offered refuge at Microsoft, the startup’s biggest backer. The same day nearly all of OpenAI’s 770 employees signed a letter threatening to quit unless the board members who dismissed Mr Altman reinstate him and resign. On November 21st Mr Altman was back in his old job. Heads have, then, spun back more or less to where they started. Or have they?
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This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “OpenAI v CloseAI”
Business November 25th 2023
- With Sam Altman’s return, a shift in AI from idealism to pragmatism
- Inside OpenAI’s weird governance structure
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- Why Chinese companies are flocking to Mexico
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- How not to motivate your employees
- Every country wants its own investment-screening regime
- The many contradictions of Sam Altman
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