OpenAI gains veteran support from a former Microsoft AI researcher — potentially expediting the ChatGPT maker’s trajectory toward Sam Altman’s coveted AGI benchmark
After a mass exit of top officials over alleged safety concerns, a top Microsoft AI researcher joins OpenAI to support its AGI dreams.
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What you need to know
In a surprising turn of events, Sebastian Bubeck, one of Microsoft’s top AI researchers, recently left the company to join OpenAI (viaThe Information). Bubeck is a Microsoft veteran who worked at the company for over a decade, spearheading operations on small language models like thelightweight Phi AI models.
The veteran is joining the ChatGPT maker to assist in its efforts toward reachingartificial general intelligence (AGI). Following Bubeck’s departure, the tech giant indicated:
“We appreciate the contributions Sebastian has made to Microsoft and look forward to continuing our relationship through his work with OpenAI.”
While Bubeck’s seemingly abrupt departure from Microsoft remains a mystery, he’ll likely continue building and improving OpenAI’s operations in its small language models department.
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A win for OpenAI?
Over the past few months, OpenAI has been under fire, coupled withthe mass departures of high-profile officials, including Chief Technology Officer Mira Murati, Chief Research Officer Bob McGrew, and Vice President of Research Barret Zoph. As it stands, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is one of the last remaining cofounders.
The departure of employees can be attributed to an allegedprioritization of shiny products over safety processesand disagreements between top management regarding the shipment of next-gen AI models. In case you missed it,the ChatGPT maker reportedly rushed through GPT-4o’s launch.
While an OpenAI spokesman admits that the firm’s safety team was under immense pressure, prompting them to rush through the testing phase, they claim that OpenAI didn’t cut corners. However, the ChatGPT maker reportedly sent out RSVP invites before testing began.
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Another report reveals former OpenAI Chief Scientist Ilya Sutskever’s abrupt departure,prompting top officials to think the company would collapse. They reportedly made several offers to Sutskever. However, they couldn’t find a suitable position for the cofounder amid the company’s reorg.
This news comes after OpenAI evadedbankruptcy and projections of $5 billion in losses within the next 12 monthsafter investors, includingMicrosoft and NVIDIA, raised $6.6 billion through a round of funding, pushing its market cap to $157 billion.
Investors have already startedraising concerns about AI firms' spending on projects, claiming it’s difficult to establish a profitable path in the AI landscape. In contrast, market analysts and experts predict thatOpenAI could become the world’s dominant AI company, worth trillions of dollars.
Kevin Okemwa is a seasoned tech journalist based in Nairobi, Kenya with lots of experience covering the latest trends and developments in the industry at Windows Central. With a passion for innovation and a keen eye for detail, he has written for leading publications such as OnMSFT, MakeUseOf, and Windows Report, providing insightful analysis and breaking news on everything revolving around the Microsoft ecosystem. You’ll also catch him occasionally contributing at iMore about Apple and AI. While AFK and not busy following the ever-emerging trends in tech, you can find him exploring the world or listening to music.
