OPENAI’s general manager Sam Altman announced on Monday May 5 that the artificial intelligence company (AI) behind Chatgpt abandoned his controversial project to become a for -profit company. Openai investors wanted to make their investments grow in a structure dedicated to being profitable. But this perspective had reacted strongly, many deeming it dangerous in view of the power of artificial intelligence. The change of structure would have made the interests of shareholders, according to those of civil society.
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“We have made the decision to remain a non -profit company after listening to civil society leaders and exchanged with the Offices of Prosecutors General [des Etats américains] of California and Delaware ”said Sam Altman in an email addressed to staff and published on the company’s website.
The richest man on the planet, Elon Musk, got involved in the case by offering to buy the start-up. Sam Altman had dryly replied that Optai was not “Not for sale”.
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Elon Musk and Sam Altman were both part of the 11 people who founded Openai in 2015, the first having provided an initial funding of $ 45 million. Three years later, Mr. Musk had left the company, Openai evoking “A future potential conflict for Elon, while Tesla”of which Elon Musk is the boss, “Continue to focus on AI”.
The question of means
The considerable costs linked to the design, training and deployment of AI models had forced the company to seek a new structure which would give investors participation in capital and offer more stable management. But the transition to a for -profit company would have required the approval of the authorities of California and Delaware.
By remaining a non -profit company, “We believe that this will allow us to continue to make rapid and safe progress and give everyone access to an efficient AI”estimated Sam Altman on Monday. The company has become one of the most prosperous start-ups in the history of Silicon Valley, powered in 2022 by its generative Chatgpt AI tool.
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