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Artificial intelligence
TechTech Trends

Before CEO Altman’s firing, OpenAI researchers warned board of AI breakthrough that may threaten humanity

  • Staff researchers sent OpenAI’s board a letter about a powerful artificial intelligence discovery that they think could threaten humanity, sources say
  • The ChatGPT maker had made progress on Q*, which some researchers believe could be a breakthrough in artificial general intelligence

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Staff researchers sent the OpenAI board a letter warning of an AI discovery that could threaten humanity, sources say. Photo: Reuters
Reuters
Ahead of OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s four days in exile, several staff researchers sent the board of directors a letter warning of a powerful artificial intelligence (AI) discovery that they said could threaten humanity, two people familiar with the matter told Reuters.
The previously unreported letter and AI algorithm was a key development ahead of the board’s ousting of Altman, the poster child of generative AI, the two sources said. Before his triumphant return late Tuesday, more than 700 employees had threatened to quit and join backer Microsoft in solidarity with their fired leader.

The sources cited the letter as one factor among a longer list of grievances by the board that led to Altman’s firing. Reuters was unable to review a copy of the letter. The researchers who wrote the letter did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

According to one of the sources, long-time executive Mira Murati mentioned the project, called Q*, to employees on Wednesday and said that a letter was sent to the board before this weekend’s events.

Sam Altman, the since-reinstated CEO of OpenAI. Photo: AFP
Sam Altman, the since-reinstated CEO of OpenAI. Photo: AFP

After the story was published, an OpenAI spokesperson said Murati told employees what media were about to report, but she did not comment on the accuracy of the reporting.

The maker of ChatGPT had made progress on Q* (pronounced Q-Star), which some internally believe could be a breakthrough in the start-up’s search for superintelligence, also known as artificial general intelligence (AGI), one of the people told Reuters. OpenAI defines AGI as AI systems that are smarter than humans.

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