Two individuals familiar with the situation informed Reuters that certain staff researchers cautioned the board of directors about a significant artificial intelligence discovery that they argued posed a threat to society prior to OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s temporary absence for four days.
The undisclosed letter and AI algorithm, previously unmentioned, served as a trigger leading to Altman’s removal, as per the sources. Altman, renowned as a prominent figure in generative AI, faced the board’s decision to remove him amidst more than 700 employees considering resignation to align with supporter Microsoft until his eventual reinstatement on Tuesday.
The sources highlighted the email as just one of the numerous grievances expressed to the board that culminated in Altman’s dismissal. Despite requests, a copy of the letter was not made available for Reuters to review, and responses from the letter’s authors were not promptly provided.
According to one account, senior executive Mira Murati reportedly informed team members on Wednesday that the board’s actions were instigated by a letter concerning the AI breakthrough referred to as Q* (pronounced Q-Star).
An insider revealed to Reuters that the developer of ChatGPT had made advancements in Q*, a development that some insiders believe could mark a pivotal moment in the company’s pursuit of superintelligence, also known as artificial general intelligence (AGI). OpenAI defines AGI as AI methodologies surpassing human capabilities.
Speaking on the condition of anonymity due to lack of authorization to represent the company, the individual asserted that the new model exhibited the ability to solve complex scientific problems owing to its substantial computational capacities. Despite performing math tasks at an elementary school level during preliminary assessments, researchers expressed considerable optimism regarding Q*’s future prospects, as per the source.
