OpenAI embraces their role as a consumer technology company in their first developer keynote. Topics include: comparisons to Steve Jobs' product announcements, OpenAI's prioritizations and their API for GPT-4, differences between engineering and AI development values, concerns about DeepMind's growth, OpenAI's approach to safety and concerns surrounding their policies, exploring the concept of hegemony in keynotes, comparing Steve Jobs' ideology to OpenAI's approach, contrasting narratives of control, and career advice.
OpenAI's first developer conference showcased their focus on price and speed, introducing an API for GPT-4 and the ability to train GPT models at a high cost.
OpenAI's gatekeeping tendencies and hegemonic power raise concerns about safety, norms, and alignment with their expressed values.
Deep dives
OpenAI's Developer Conference and the Embrace of Consumer Technology
OpenAI held its first developer conference, signaling their shift towards being a consumer technology company. The conference highlighted their focus on price and speed, with plans to prioritize both in future developments. They introduced an API for GPT-4 that reduces costs and allows users to create system prompts and examples. OpenAI also announced the ability for users to train their own GPT models, albeit at a high cost. While the conference received mixed reviews from researchers and some criticism for a lack of major announcements, it played a significant role in normalizing AI as a marketable product.
OpenAI's Gatekeeping Tendencies and Hegemonic Power
OpenAI has faced criticism for its gatekeeping tendencies, particularly regarding its release practices. The decision to limit access to GPT-2 raised concerns about determining safety risks and setting norms in the AI community. Some questioned whether OpenAI's claims of safety justified their exclusivity. The discussion highlights OpenAI's position as a hegemonic power, capable of rewriting the rules of the game in the AI field. This raises questions about their commitment to safety and whether their power aligns with their expressed values.
The Evolution of OpenAI's Ideals and Skepticism from the AI Community
OpenAI's ideological shift and changing corporate values have attracted skepticism and cynicism from the AI community. The company's early commitment to joining a more advanced AGI company if one emerged has raised questions about their dedication to safety and their true motivations. Critics argue that OpenAI prioritizes establishing market dominance and crafting rules over substantive AI development. The discrepancy between their stated concerns about safety and their actual actions has added to the skepticism surrounding the company.
Comparing Steve Jobs and Sam Altman: Different Approaches to Technology and Market Hegemony
The approaches of Steve Jobs and Sam Altman highlight different philosophies towards technology and market hegemony. Jobs' Apple aimed to humanize and integrate technology seamlessly into people's lives, while Altman's OpenAI focuses more on analytical delimitations, gatekeeping, and defining norms. Jobs emphasized a holistic design and ambition that personalized experiences, whereas Altman's OpenAI tends to prioritize control and seeks to define what is and isn't acceptable in AI development. This difference in approach raises questions about the fundamental nature and goals of OpenAI in comparison to Apple's transformative aspirations.