Since the birth of ChatGPT two years ago, the development of artificial intelligence has further entered a new stage, beginning to possess the capability to handle complex reasoning. With the arrival of the new year, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reviewed the company's development journey, sharing the achievements, challenges, and learnings of the past two years. He admitted that although significant progress has been made, the understanding of Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is still in its early stages, but the efforts of the past nine years have put this startup on a unique and far-reaching path.

Looking back at OpenAI's original intentions and vision

Altman stated that OpenAI was founded nearly nine years ago with the goal of achieving Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) and ensuring it could bring widespread benefits to all of humanity. At that time, few were interested in this vision, and many even considered it an impossible task.

In 2022, OpenAI was still a quiet research lab dedicated to a project called 'Conversing with GPT-3.5'. After observing the enthusiasm of developers testing the API, the team launched a testing tool centered on conversational experiences and officially released it under the name ChatGPT on November 30 of the same year.

Unexpectedly, the launch of ChatGPT became a catalyst for the artificial intelligence revolution, bringing unprecedented growth curves to companies, industries, and even the world. Altman stated that this moment marked a significant breakthrough in OpenAI's years of effort and proved that the potential value of AI technology far exceeds expectations.

AI Prototypes: The Challenge of Building an Emerging Industry

Altman noted that the past two years have been the most challenging yet rewarding times of his life. In a short period, the company built an entirely new industry almost from scratch, a process that was both exciting and filled with pressure.

Since AI technology belongs to a completely new field, there are almost no manuals or examples to draw upon. The team has gone through countless trials and errors during the rapid development, often facing situations where they move two steps forward and one step back. This rapid exploration process, though chaotic, has also brought valuable experience and learning opportunities.

Recalling the 'surprise' of being dismissed

Altman mentioned a sudden crisis in 2023: he was dismissed during an unexpected video conference, and the decision was immediately announced in a public statement. In the 'fog of war' of the crisis, all parties involved were confused about the reasons for the incident, which became a failure of governance structure.

However, this incident prompted OpenAI to reshape its governance model, establishing a stronger system to address complex challenges. Altman admitted that this crisis taught him more about the importance of leadership and diverse perspectives. He stated that this experience made the company more united and drove the team to complete some of its best research work after the crisis.

AI will join the workforce in 2025

Currently, OpenAI's user base has grown from 100 million weekly users to over 300 million, with its technologies and products not only widely used but also helping to solve many real-world problems. Altman believes that future artificial intelligence will continue to change the global work model and will begin to 'join the workforce' in 2025, bringing substantial improvements to business productivity.

He also mentioned that OpenAI's vision has gradually shifted from AGI to superintelligence. Altman believes that superintelligent tools will greatly accelerate scientific discovery and innovation, further enhancing human prosperity and well-being. While this sounds like science fiction, he believes that the world will gradually realize the potential and importance of this technology in the coming years.

OpenAI is balancing technology and safety

Altman reiterated OpenAI's commitment to safety and the shared benefits of technology. He believes that allowing society to gradually adapt to new technologies is the best way to ensure safety. By phasing in artificial intelligence into the real world, society can co-evolve with the technology while improving its safety.

OpenAI's goal is to become a leader in safe and coordinated research globally and to continuously optimize its research direction through feedback from real-world applications.

Altman's outlook for the future

Altman is confident about the future but also believes that future technological advancements will still be full of twists and turns. He pointed out that OpenAI needs to continuously adjust its strategies to respond to rapidly changing demands, such as product development and capital needs.

Looking to the future, he emphasized that OpenAI would not be satisfied with its current achievements but is committed to realizing a more brilliant future. He believes that superintelligence will help humanity achieve many goals that cannot be accomplished alone and ultimately lead to unprecedented prosperity.

Altman: OpenAI's mission is significant

Altman expressed that participating in this historic work is both an honor and a responsibility. He believes that OpenAI's mission goes beyond that of a typical company, as its technology has profound implications for the future of humanity.

At the turn of the new year, he hopes to continue advancing the development of artificial intelligence with his team and global partners, bringing broader benefits and lasting change to humanity.

This article 'Sam Altman's Reflections and Future Outlook on OpenAI: AI Joining the Workforce in 2025' first appeared in Chain News ABMedia.