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Sam Altman

January

DeepSeek is accused of hoovering up OpenAI’s data.

The sweet irony of OpenAI’s DeepSeek beef

OpenAI thinks DeepSeek took its private data to train its models; the hearts of writers, artists, musicians and journalists around the world must bleed for it.

  • Paul Smith
  • Analysis
  • AI
DeepSeek has caused anxiety among US investors because it promises to replicate OpenAI’s success – and is free.

These four graphs show why DeepSeek is spooking investors

The little-known (until this week) Chinese AI start-up has its American rivals on edge. Could it actually be faster, smarter and use fewer resources?

  • Amelia McGuire
Most new technologies have both benefits and costs, and sometimes the latter outweigh the former.

AI’s next big (risky) thing: Special agents to organise your life

Tasks that would have taken a month can now be done in an hour, but people will be exposing a lot more digital information, raising privacy and security concerns.

  • Gerrit De Vynck

December 2024

Elon Musk in Washington DC, has increasing political power at the same time as his artificial intelligence company xAI is rapidly expanding.

Musk raises $9b for ‘anti-woke’ AI company

xAI’s funding round signals the battle with OpenAI and Anthropic is intensifying.

  • Paul Smith
  • Analysis
  • AI
Sam Altman says AI that is as smart as humans is almost here, but we don’t need to worry.

How AI is about to change, according to Altman (and what Musk will do)

Two years after he stunned the world with the launch of ChatGPT, Sam Altman says human-level artificial intelligence is almost upon us, but we don’t need to worry yet.

  • Paul Smith
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September 2024

Nate Silver at Aqueduct Racetrack in Queens on July 24.

This poker pro wants to teach you how to be a better gambler

Nate Silver’s account of the gaming industry can be read as a useful manual for aspiring card sharps and professional sports gamblers, but it doubles as an indictment.

  • Max Chafkin

July 2024

OpenAI has unveiled a prototype of SearchGPT, a new web search chatbot that will rival Google.

Look out Google, here comes SearchGPT

OpenAI has unveiled a prototype of SearchGPT, a new web search chatbot that could rival Google, and change how people navigate the online world.

  • Gerrit De Vynck

June 2024

Ilya Sutskever is promising to build superintelligence safely.

OpenAI co-founder’s new company promises safe ‘superintelligence’

Last year, Ilya Sutskever tried to force out OpenAI boss Sam Altman. Now he has a new company, aiming to build a machine that is more intelligent than humans – safely.

  • Cade Metz
Apple boss Tim Cook has spurred hopes that the tech giant’s AI strategy will spur an iPhone upgrade cycle.

Investors give a belated cheer to Apple’s AI foray

The tech giant’s strategy unveil has pushed its share price to records this week. But, in the background, safety and privacy concerns are also rising.

  • Karen Maley

May 2024

“It’s still a bit surprising to me that it’s real,” OpenAI co-founder and chief executive Sam Altman wrote in a blog post after the announcement of the company’s latest AI development.

‘Like AI from the movies:’ New ChatGPT arrives

The launch was not without some snags: after coaching a researcher through solving an algebra problem, it said: “Wow, that’s quite the outfit you’ve got on.”

  • Paul Smith

April 2024

Elon Musk.

How soon will machines outsmart us? Biggest brains in AI can’t agree

Elon Musk’s prediction that artificial intelligence will surpass human experts by 2025 sets him apart from rivals at OpenAI, Google and Meta.

  • George Hammond
A security gate at the OpenAI offices in San Francisco.

How tech giants cut corners to harvest data for AI

The race to lead AI has become a desperate hunt for the digital data needed to advance the technology. To obtain it, tech companies including OpenAI, Google and Meta have cut corners, ignored corporate policies and debated bending the law.

  • Cade Metz, Cecilia Kang, Sheera Frenkel, Stuart A. Thompson and Nico Grant

March 2024

Sam Altman, was briefly ousted from his role heading OpenAI because his ambitious plans for developing and utilising artificial intelligence raised concerns among members of the board.

Elon Musk sues OpenAI, Altman for breaching founding mission

The lawsuit argues that OpenAI’s close relationship with Microsoft has undermined its original mission of creating open-source technology.

  • Saritha Rai

February 2024

Sam Altman’s AI chip project could require raising as much as $US7 trillion.

AI hype has echoes of the telecoms boom and bust

The tech transformation may take years longer than suggested by the record share prices and funding targets.

  • June Yoon

January 2024

Dryden Brown wants Praxis to be a crypto-city for tech bros and tastemakers. Just don’t ask for details.

Who would give this guy millions to build his own utopia?

Dryden Brown wants Praxis to be a crypto-city for tech bros and tastemakers. Just don’t ask for details.

  • Joseph Bernstein
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Elon Musk is among the tech billionaires redefining what is acceptable corporate conduct.

Will Elon Musk and Sam Altman redefine the rules for corporate bosses?

Other executives can only look on with astonishment, and perhaps a little envy, at the behaviour that’s tolerated from some billionaire tech entrepreneurs.

  • Karen Maley
  • Analysis
  • AI
Here’s what and who will be making business news in 2024.

The AI revolution’s first year: has anything changed?

Whether generative AI turns out to be as revolutionary as boosters claim, or merely a useful addition to the IT arsenal, should start to become clearer in 2024.

  • Richard Waters

December 2023

Sam Altman’s overwhelming support is unusual.

Why OpenAI staff lobbied for Sam Altman’s return

The head of the company behind ChatGPT has shown the world he’s an exceptional leader.

  • Shirin Ghaffary
AI is coming to the professional services sector at a rate of knots.

Fear and money: How the AI fuse was lit

The people who were most afraid of the risks of artificial intelligence decided they should be the ones to build it. Then distrust fuelled a spiralling competition.

  • Cade Metz, Karen Weise, Nico Grant and Mike Isaac

November 2023

Helen Toner in May cautioned against over-relying on AI chatbots, saying there was “still a lot we don’t know” about them.

Ousted Australian OpenAI director breaks silence on Altman chaos

Helen Toner said board members who sacked Altman weren’t trying to slow down AI development and hinted more would come out about what had happened.

  • Nick Bonyhady

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/person/samuel-harris-altman-6g17