You don’t need to be a tech whiz to hear about OpenAI. Since the start of 2023, more and more people have come across this company’s name – all thanks to the famous ChatGPT that everybody and their mom can’t stop talking about. But do you really know who they are or what they do?
If your answer to our question is negative, we suggest you get to know them today, given the organization’s growing importance, obviously. OpenAI’s product, GPT-4, will remain in the spotlight for a long time (especially once the software advances further, if that’s even possible). Truth is, the program’s future appears promising in so many different ways. For one thing, some expert techies even go as far as geeking out over the potential synergy between ChatGPT and evolving Web3 technologies.
So, without further ado, let’s learn more about OpenAI and why its innovations are worth watching.
Image Source: Business Insider
OpenAI chat GPT was introduced to the public in late 2022, but the company itself had already existed quite a few years before that.
Back in 2015, a group of brilliant entrepreneurs and AI specialists joined forces to create OpenAI. The dream team consisted of, among others, Sam Altman, the head honcho of Y Combinator (the startup builder); Elon Musk, the billionaire boss of Tesla (the electric car company); and Ilya Sutskever, a total rockstar researcher in the artificial intelligence world.
The Company's Key Facts
The company is known for many things, and one notable fact is its position as a leading employer of top-notch experts in the AI field, making it arguably one of the foremost in the industry. However, less well known to the general public are the company’s core values and where they stand in the big picture of society.
So, here are some of the important facts about this groundbreaking AI firm.
1. Focus on Many AI Areas
OpenAI got its research game strong in various AI domains, specifically natural language processing, robotics, computer vision, and reinforcement learning. Yet what really appeals to them? In essence, they are dedicated to building AI systems that can learn from experience, adjust to new situations with finesse, and become philosophical with abstract reasoning.
2. Contribute to Society
Unlike many profit-driven companies today, OpenAI is all about giving back to society. The firm made this wonderful commitment to using their research for the greater good. Sharing knowledge and findings with the world is one of the company’s goals. Plus, they’ve taken a solid stand against developing any AI tools that could be used for harm – which is no small feat.
It doesn’t stop there. OpenAI is teaming up with organizations that are tackling crucial social problems, in particular climate change and global health. The company is all hands-on about making a positive impact, and it’s just really refreshing to see a tech company with such a heart.
3. Resolve Real-world Problems
Many people by now are well aware of how OpenAI helps solve real-world problems through AI. We got GPT-3, which is basically an automated bot that is designed to create human-like text. Then there’s DALL-E (probably inspired by Pixar’s science fiction WALL-E), a genius AI that turns simple text descriptions into awesome visuals. And let’s not forget Codex, a brilliant coding guru capable of writing code using only textual input.
4. Partner with Different Organizations
To take its research and development game to the next level, OpenAI has effectively teamed up with some major players in the business world. Among them are Amazon, which collaborates with OpenAI on AI algorithm development, and IBM, a partner in several of OpenAI’s research projects – the list goes on and on.
Its Star Product
This article about OpenAI wouldn’t be complete without mentioning its most notable software – ChatGPT, even though not many people talk about its origin story.
Back in 2020, OpenAI shook up the AI world with GPT-3 (which, as we all know, was accompanied by the OpenAI API). This clever system could whip up text like tweets, blog posts, news articles – in fact, even computer code. People were amazed by it, but to be honest, it wasn’t exactly mind-blowing at the time, especially with Covid-19 still in the air.
Not long after that, ChatGPT entered the stage. It’s built on that same mind-blowing GPT-3 tech, proving to the world just how insanely powerful this kind of AI can be. It’s like chatting with a super helpful online buddy (or even a business partner for some) who can answer anything you throw at them in the blink of an eye – a seriously jaw-dropping experience.
A Big Name Tech Company Is Involved
There has been a rumor circulating in the tech industry for a while now. Many people are talking about a potential collaboration between two major names in the field. And by collaboration, we mean one of the partners investing around 1 billion USD in this joint venture.
Now, in case you haven’t heard, Microsoft has already confirmed a major investment in OpenAI, the masterminds behind ChatGPT, in early 2023. Though the specific financial terms of the deal were not disclosed, sources familiar with the matter reveal that Microsoft plans to invest a substantial $10 billion in the AI company. This move marks a significant commitment and a promising partnership between the two tech giants, which we look forward to seeing unfold.
What's Next for Them
Similar to Google, OpenAI is now working with the Associated Press (AP) to bring AI to the newsroom. AP’s lending their news content to OpenAI’s AI training, and in return, they get to use OpenAI’s tech wizardry for their own services (a win-win tech party – if you ask us).
Icing on the cake, the corporation is giving away a $5 million donation to the American Journalism Project (AJP), helping out regional US media outlets through the power of chatGPT’s news production tools. The public good seems to remain OpenAI’s primary focus in the future.
A Wrap Up
AI, to major companies and institutions, means algorithms that perform application-oriented tasks intelligently. The technology can go as far as predicting revenue or detecting cancer in a CT scan – AI is the future, without a doubt.
OpenAI is a company driven by this technology and a pioneer in this field. Everyone knew the company had a bright future, but that’s an understatement. It’s obvious that everyone wants a piece of OpenAI’s success in the future. Microsoft, for example, is really confident in the tech company, so much so that they invested $1 billion in it. Both giants will have to wait and see how their cooperation turns out, but it is looking promising – if we may say so.
On the other hand, AI is still controversial. Many people (even AI users themselves) foresee its ability to reshape society in the near future (if it hasn’t already done so). Surprisingly, OpenAI is one of the companies that warns the public about the technology dangers and urges regulators to be involved. And we totally agree. We just strongly hope that, in the future, AI will maintain its position as a tool for ease of living without becoming a means of large-scale disinformation.
