An unexpected turnaround for the co-founder of OpenAI
After being ousted by his peers, Sam Altman is back in charge of OpenAI, a decision that could radically change the famous artificial intelligence company. On November 16, 2023, he participated in the Asia-Pacific Cooperation leaders summit in San Francisco before this sudden dismissal by the OpenAI board. They ultimately returned to him the keys to the company in just four days.
“I love OpenAI, and everything I have done in recent days has been for this team and its mission,” says Sam Altman after regaining his leadership position within the company. This spectacular turnaround marks a decisive turning point and potentially heralds profound upheavals for OpenAI’s Artificial Intelligence ambitions.
The consequences for OpenAI’s governance and ethics
This unprecedented situation will inevitably have repercussions on the very structure of OpenAI, particularly the risk of seeing its governance model where the board members are not accountable to investors disappear. Additionally, there is the possibility of revising downwards the philosophy and ethics that have made OpenAI renowned among a demanding public, concerned about seeing artificial intelligence used responsibly.
The events that unfolded since November 17 have been marked by a fast-paced rhythm and have also raised concerns about the sustainability of OpenAI, both in Silicon Valley and on Wall Street. While the impacts are still difficult to estimate, it is safe to bet that this internal crisis will lead to a deep reorganization of the company and its future projects.
Opportunities for France and AI development
In this shifting context, Sam Altman received an invitation in France from the Minister Delegate for Digital Affairs. The latter stated: “Sam Altman, his team, and their talents would be welcome if they wish to come to France where we are accelerating efforts to put artificial intelligence at the service of the common good.”
This opening comes after a major announcement regarding the development of artificial intelligence in France: two leaders of major French companies and Rodolphe Saadé announced the creation of a laboratory named Kyutai in Paris, with a budget of 300 million euros. In the race for AI, France aims to create national champions capable of competing with American and Asian giants.
The success of ChatGPT, between technological achievement and ethical questioning
Despite the turmoil caused by Sam Altman’s departure and return, it is important to recall the magnitude of the success achieved by the ChatGPT platform developed by OpenAI. Since the launch of its first version on November 30, 2022, millions of people have used ChatGPT to chat, request recipes, or invent stories to tell their children.
However, this technological success also raises concerns related to potential dangers for democracy and employment. As the future of artificial intelligence technologies seems to take a decisive turn, it is up to all the stakeholders involved to question the potential consequences of their development and to ensure responsible and ethical use.
