A brief summary of the OpenAi debacle (from the New York Times)

    So OpenAI as a company almost died. Due to board meddling, CEO Sam Altman was almost fired from his position. This led to 91% of the employees at the company to sign a letter detailing how if Altman was not reinstated, they would walk out, effectively killing the company. Now, it seems like the company is reversing their decision on the matter, but things are still shaky for them.

    How this becomes important is in how OpenAI is the industry leader in AI technologies. Many new businesses have sprouted up directly due to the innovations made by the company. If they were to go down, the future of Silicon Valley, if not the entire software industry could be unerringly divorced from its previous course.

    For many firms, they have relied on AI technology to automate many protocols. The sorts of protocols that require no abstract thought but unwavering compliance to instructions. If OpenAI were to go, many of the services they provide would immediately alter the way these firms function. Some may not be able to survive and would have to close shop. 

    Even if there is a lot of enthusiasm and urgency in the integration of AI technologies to our lives, it is useful to remember that there are no guarantees. AI, like all technologies or innovations, need to jump through many hoops before it is secured in its place in the world. And even then, with strange years, they may end up deemed obsolete or irrelevant to our lives. So we must remember that no one know what the future may hold, and we must be prepared for anything.

Link to the article

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/20/business/openai-staff-exodus-turmoil.html?unlocked_article_code=1.AE0.UAJe.5-6ZVOrLQKaA&smid=url-share