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  • Sam Altman Officially Returns to OpenAI, with Microsoft as a Board Observer 🔍

Sam Altman Officially Returns to OpenAI, with Microsoft as a Board Observer 🔍

+ Sam Altman Reflects on the Saga in a New Interview

Welcome to another edition of Horizon AI,

Today, we'll take a look at Sam Altman's official return and some of the initial changes that come with it. We'll also explore the key points from his interview with The Verge, where he reflects on the entire saga.

Make sure to check the bottom of this issue to enter this month’s giveaway.

Let's jump right into it!

Read Time: 2.5 min

Here's what's new today in the Horizon AI

  • Sam Altman Officially Returns to OpenAI, with Microsoft as a Board Observer 🔍

  • Sam Altman Reflects on the Saga in a New Interview

  • Trending AI tool: Pilot, the Social Trip Planning Tool

  • AI Image of The Day🎨: Old paintings

  • The Latest in AI and Tech 💡

AI News

OPENAI

Sam Altman Officially Returns to OpenAI, with Microsoft as a Board Observer 🔍

Last week, the company announced a preliminary agreement for Sam Altman’s return, and now the deal is finalized. He is now officially back as the CEO of OpenAI.

Source: OpenAI

His return comes with some of the much promised changes after his initial termination which sparked massive employee backlash and pressure from key investors.

Mira Murati, briefly appointed interim CEO by the previous board, will resume her role as CTO, while Greg Brockman reassumes the position of President.

The former board is replaced by a new group:

Additionally, Microsoft gains a non-voting board observer seat, This implies that the tech giant will gain increased insight into the company’s operations without possessing an official voting role in major decisions.

Both Altman and the new OpenAI board chair Bret Taylor shared a memo with OpenAI employees on Wednesday, reaffirming their commitment to the company's mission. A thorough review of the company’s governance was also promised.

With Altman resuming his CEO responsibilities, balancing commercial success and ethical imperatives will remain an ongoing challenge. However, robust employee support for his reinstatement suggests confidence in his renewed leadership.

OPENAI

Sam Altman Reflects on the Saga on a New Interview

Source: The Verge

The Verge conducted an interview with Sam Altman where he shares some insights on the saga and what’s going to happen now. However, he chose not to disclose further details about the circumstances leading to his initial firing.

Key points:

  • Altman mentioned that it was the previous board that asked him to go back. He initially felt defiant, hurt, and angry, but after reflecting on his love for the company and its mission, he accepted the offer to return.

  • Although he refused to give details on the reasons that led to his firing, he denies previous speculation that suggested it was related to AI safety concerns. His comments align with former board member Helen Toner, who also refuted those claims in a tweet.

  • Altman is currently focused on his role as CEO and not contemplating a return to the board. Although he admits that the improvement of the governance structure is a priority.

  • Altman avoids commenting on specific projects like the leaked ‘Q project’ but emphasizes the company's commitment to rapid progress and safety.

  • Finally, Altman reflected on the challenging saga, acknowledging that the company can function effectively without him. He appreciates the strength of the leadership team, which not only kept the products up but also managed to release new features amid the chaos.

Trending AI Tool

Pilot, The Social Trip Planning Tool

Source: Pilot

Pilot is an AI-powered social trip-planning platform. The Vancouver-based company aims to become the go-to hub for discovering, planning, booking, and sharing trips.

Details:

  • Pilot's AI trip planner Quickstart creates personalized itineraries based on users' preferences. Users can chat with the AI to request edits.

  • After trips, users can write blog posts to share their experiences.

  • Pilot operates on an affiliate model, which means it is free for consumers to use and the companies earns commissions from bookings made on its platform

AI Image of The Day

Old paintings

Send your AI-generated images for a chance to get published here: [email protected]

Source: u/Vivid-Magician3785 on Reddit

The latest in AI and Tech

Stability AI reportedly looking for buyers amid financial struggles

British AI startup Stability AI has opened talks with potential acquirers about selling the company, according to Bloomberg. This comes amid rising tensions with investors over Stability AI's shaky finances and calls for CEO Emad Mostaque to step down. The company achieved unicorn status in 2022 but its spending habits have raised sustainability concerns. Though no deal is imminent, Stability AI seems to be positioning itself as an attractive acquisition target amid leadership shakeups and friction with key backers.

Former Google CEO warns AI could soon endanger humanity

Source: TheHill

Former Google head Eric Schmidt rang the alarm bells this week, claiming advanced AI could become an existential threat to humanity within 5 to 10 years if adequate safeguards aren’t implemented immediately. Schmidt proposed forming an international regulatory body, similar to those overseeing nuclear weapons and climate change, to monitor AI developments and enforce ethics guidelines globally. Time is running out, and companies aren’t doing enough to prevent harm he warns.

Nvidia CEO predicts AI will be ‘fairly competitive’ with humans within 5 Years

Source: Getty Images

Nvidia's Jensen Huang stunned audiences at the NYT DealBook Summit by predicting AI will match human intelligence on certain tests within 5 years. He attributed rapid advancements to an explosion of available computing power and intense competition between AI players.

That’s a wrap!

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