A continuous turnaround. Altman was initially removed from OpenAI, then took leadership of an artificial intelligence division at Microsoft, and finally he returned, loudly called from many quarters, to direct his creation again. In just four days everything happened. A series of events which however have restored the situation as it was before last Friday, although at least one change has occurred in the board of directors.
One question, however, is still unanswered. What triggered all this?
According to some American media (primarily Reuters), Altman's sudden dismissal would be linked to a discovery in the field of artificial intelligence, which some researchers would have considered “potentially dangerous” for humanity.
A new artificial intelligence?
According to Reuters' reconstruction, before Altman's brief departure, some company researchers had swrote a letter to the Board of Directors warning of a significant discovery in artificial intelligence, which they consider potentially threatening to humanity.
A letter showing concerns about the commercialization of this AI urging a pause to reflect on the possibility of making further progress.
The Q project
OpenAI has been working on a project for some time project called “Q*”, short for Q-Star, which could represent a turning point in the company's research in the field ofgeneral artificial intelligence (AGI).
The company defines AGI as autonomous systems that outperform humans in most economically valuable tasks. So a sort of artificial superintelligence.
Thanks to considerable computing power, the new model was able to solve specific mathematical problems. Despite only passing elementary-level mathematical calculations, passing such tests has sparked great optimism among researchers about Q's future success.
The risks of the new frontier
Researchers believe that the mathematics represents a frontier in the development of generative artificial intelligence.
THEIA, current, that generative generative excels at writing and translating language using the statistical forecast of the next word, but answers to the same question can vary greatly.
Gaining the ability to perform mathematical operations, where there is only one correct answer, would involve an mgreater human-like reasoning ability. The researchers believe this could be applied, for example, to innovative scientific research.
Unlike a calculator, limited to solving a defined number of operations, general artificial intelligence has the ability to generalize, learn and understand.
Some researchers believe that the goal of general artificial intelligence is inaccessible, while others argue that it may be preferable not to reach it to avoid the risk of a possible machine rebellion.
General artificial intelligence behind Altman's ouster?
For Altman, general artificial intelligence would be within reach and thanks also to the support of Microsoft he has poured numerous resources into this project. And the announcement of its achievement, perhaps, will come very soon.
Already last week, Altman had suggested during a summit of world leaders in San Francisco that it was optimistic about imminent progress significant in the field.
“Four times now in the history of OpenAI, the last time being just in the last two weeks, I have had the opportunity to be in the room when we moved the veil of ignorance back and the frontier of discovery forward, and have the opportunity to do so is the professional honor of a lifetime,” the Chicago native said at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit.
THEaccusation of lack of sincerity that the Board of Directors attributed to Altman could actually concern the progress made in the field of general artificial intelligence. In fact, one day after the statement at the Summit, Altman was fired.
