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According to Odaily, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is considering transforming the AI development company from a non-profit to a for-profit entity, with Microsoft posing the biggest challenge in this transition. Microsoft has a significant influence in this process, having committed over $13 billion to OpenAI. Since October of last year, the two companies have been negotiating potential changes to OpenAI's structure, focusing on four main areas: Microsoft's equity in the for-profit entity, whether Microsoft will remain OpenAI's exclusive cloud service provider, the duration of Microsoft's rights to use OpenAI's intellectual property for its products, and whether Microsoft will continue to take 20% of OpenAI's revenue. These details come from individuals familiar with discussions with Altman. It remains unclear when OpenAI and Microsoft plan to complete this process, but both parties are moving quickly and face time constraints. If OpenAI fails to complete the transition within the next two years, recent investors could reclaim their funds, along with 9% interest, totaling approximately $7.2 billion. Company leadership has informed employees that OpenAI intends to repurchase some of their shares after the transition to profitability, giving employees a strong incentive to expedite this change.

According to PANews, there is a growing call for AI framework projects to integrate with blockchain technology. Despite past market fluctuations, the current era of AI Agents requires reliable autonomous decision-making and collaboration, which can be enhanced through blockchain integration. Currently, frameworks like ELIZA, ARC, and Swarms are in the conceptual phase, where their potential cannot be fully validated or quantified. These frameworks need to establish practical applications to gain market acceptance. Whether optimizing single AI Agent performance or facilitating multi-agent interactions, these frameworks must develop traceable logic and rules for AGI model API calls. Data remains off-chain, making inference processes difficult to verify, execution processes opaque, and results uncertain. In the short term, Trusted Execution Environments (TEE) offer a low-cost, feasible off-chain solution to accelerate AGI applications in AI Agent decision-making. However, a long-term solution requires on-chain consensus to enhance reliability. For instance, ELIZA aims to build an AI Agent autonomous private key management system using Phala Network's TEE secure remote authentication. This ensures that AI-Pool execution code remains unaltered before signing with private keys, marking a preliminary step in applying TEE to AI Agents. By embedding complex execution logic into Agent Contracts and involving Phala chain Validators in verification, a blockchain consensus-based TEE execution framework can be established. This would create a positive cycle where AI Agent demand drives TEE usage, and TEE enhances blockchain capabilities. While TEE can ensure private key invisibility, the rules for key invocation, risk control, and emergency response need decentralized consensus for real-time verification. In the short term, open-source code libraries can provide transparency, but long-term solutions require decentralized validation. Thus, blockchain integration can expedite AI Agent frameworks' transition to practical applications and offer new opportunities for crypto infrastructure. The direction is clear: identifying and supporting the earliest blockchain-integrated AI Agent frameworks and the foundational chains supporting them is key to capitalizing on this emerging trend.

According to Odaily, market sources reveal that OpenAI has been in discussions about developing a humanoid robot.

According to Foresight News, Hive Digital Technologies has announced a $30 million investment to deploy Nvidia chip clusters. This includes the NVIDIA H100 GPU clusters and the latest NVIDIA H200 GPU clusters. The investment aims to advance the company's digital transformation in artificial intelligence (AI) and high-performance computing (HPC).

In 2024, meme coins dominated the crypto narrative, capturing 30.67% of global investor interest, with the main meme coin narrative alone holding 14.36%. According to CoinGecko, this represents a notable shift towards speculative, non-fundamental investments. Solana and Base meme coins also ranked highly, with Solana-related narratives capturing 14.30% of interest. Other popular meme trends included AI meme coins and cat-themed meme coins.The artificial intelligence (AI) narrative was another key focus, accounting for 15.67% of total investor interest. The overall AI narrative ranked second, with a 12.58% share. Despite a slight increase from last year, AI still lagged behind meme coins in popularity. The AI agent trend also made the top 20, with 1.17% of interest.The real-world assets (RWA) narrative experienced significant growth, rising by 2.16 percentage points to 8.64%, ranking it third. DePIN narratives also saw increased attention, with their popularity growing by 1.56 percentage points. Meanwhile, the GameFi narrative experienced a decline, with interest falling from 10.49% in 2023 to just 3.72% in 2024.

According to BlockBeats, on December 24, Bio Protocol founder Paul Kohlhaas shared on social media that AI agents within the decentralized science (DeSci) sector have not yet been priced. He highlighted that these AI agents will be responsible for proposing research initiatives, making funding decisions, and drafting intellectual property agreements.

According to Cointelegraph, Italy's data protection authority, the Italian Data Protection Authority (IDPA), has imposed a fine of $15.7 million (15 million euros) on OpenAI. The penalty follows an investigation into the company's data collection practices related to its ChatGPT model. The IDPA's findings revealed that OpenAI failed to notify the agency about a data breach that occurred in March 2023. Additionally, the company was found to have processed users' personal data without establishing a legal basis, thereby breaching transparency principles and information obligations.The IDPA also highlighted the absence of adequate age verification mechanisms, which could potentially expose minors under 13 to inappropriate content. As a corrective measure, OpenAI has been instructed to initiate a six-month public awareness campaign across various media platforms. This campaign aims to enhance public understanding of ChatGPT's data collection processes and inform users about their rights under the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), including opposition, rectification, and cancellation rights.The IDPA noted that OpenAI's cooperative approach during the investigation led to a reduction in the fine's amount. The investigation, which began in March 2023, concluded after considering the European Data Protection Board's opinion on AI model data usage. During this period, OpenAI relocated its European headquarters to Ireland, making the Irish Data Protection Authority the lead supervisory body for ongoing investigations.Italy had previously become the first Western nation to temporarily ban ChatGPT over privacy concerns, prompting the IDPA to investigate potential data privacy violations. The ban was lifted after OpenAI agreed to implement several transparency measures. Despite the fine and ongoing scrutiny, OpenAI has not yet commented on the situation.

According to Odaily, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman expressed his views on X, stating that while he considers The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) to be the best newspaper in the United States, he was surprised by the timing of their article titled 'The Next Great Leap in AI Is Behind Schedule and Crazy Expensive.' This article was published just hours after OpenAI announced its o3 model. Previously, it was reported that OpenAI is developing a new generation of inference models aimed at providing deeper insights into user queries. To avoid trademark conflicts with the British telecom operator O2, the company may skip the 'o2' naming and proceed directly with 'o3.'

According to Odaily, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman hinted at the release of a new AI model, GPT-o3, through a tweet on the X platform. Altman's message included phrases like "hohoho, see you tomorrow" and "find a clue, should say oh oh oh," suggesting the potential launch of the o3 model. The repeated use of "o" and "h" in his tweet is seen as an indication of the upcoming release. OpenAI is currently developing this next-generation inference model, which aims to provide deeper insights into user queries. The company may have chosen to skip the "o2" naming to avoid trademark conflicts with the UK telecom operator O2, opting instead for "o3." The announcement coincides with the final day of OpenAI's "12 Days of OpenAI" event. Over the past 11 days, OpenAI has released a fully-featured o1 model and introduced related APIs. Additionally, the company has upgraded various features, including function calling, structured output, inference effort control, developer messaging, and visual input capabilities.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has emphasized the need for unified global action on artificial intelligence (AI). Speaking on the importance of regulation, Blinken stated, "We must use our collective strength to establish, update, and ultimately implement international AI standards, which are essential to lasting security."

According to Foresight News, Cointelegraph reports that the Bavarian State Office for Data Protection Supervision (BayLDA) in Germany has concluded its investigation into the digital identity project World, formerly known as Worldcoin, regarding its compliance with the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). The regulatory body has mandated that World implement a data deletion procedure that aligns with GDPR standards within one month of the ruling's enforcement.World has responded to this decision by filing an appeal. The company is seeking judicial clarification from the regulatory authorities on whether its privacy-enhancing technologies (PET) meet the EU's legal definition of anonymity. This appeal highlights the ongoing debate and challenges faced by digital identity projects in aligning with stringent data protection laws while maintaining their operational integrity and technological advancements.

According to PANews, OpenAI has announced that ChatGPT now supports interaction via phone calls for users in the United States. By dialing the dedicated number 1-800-CHAT-GPT (1-800-242-8478), users can engage with ChatGPT using both landlines and traditional mobile phones. This new feature is also integrated with WhatsApp, allowing users to send inquiries through the same number, offering functionality similar to the existing web and mobile versions.Currently, U.S. users are entitled to 15 minutes of free voice calls per month, although OpenAI notes that specific rules and limitations may be subject to change. The company advises users seeking a more comprehensive experience, including additional features like search capabilities, higher usage limits, and personalized interactions, to continue accessing ChatGPT directly through their accounts. This development marks a significant expansion in the accessibility of ChatGPT, aiming to enhance user interaction through diverse communication channels.

According to Cointelegraph, the United Kingdom's government has initiated a consultation with the artificial intelligence (AI) and creative industries to explore potential legal frameworks for AI models to utilize copyrighted material. The proposals, released on December 17, invite feedback from both sectors until February 25, 2025. Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology, highlighted that the ambiguity surrounding copyright law's application to AI is hindering both industries from achieving their full potential. He stated that the current AI and copyright framework does not adequately support the creative and AI sectors in competing globally. This consultation arises amid criticism faced by AI companies accused of using intellectual property without permission to train their models. Among the four policy options proposed by the UK government is allowing AI companies to use copyrighted material without the right holders' consent, permitting commercial use with minimal restrictions. Another option suggests that companies can freely use copyrighted material for AI training unless creators opt out. A third proposal involves strengthening copyright laws, mandating licensing for all cases, ensuring companies only train AI models with licensed and permitted work. The consultation also considers maintaining the current laws, though this would perpetuate the existing lack of clarity for copyright holders and AI developers. The proposals have drawn criticism from creatives. Ed Newton-Rex, a British composer and CEO of Fairly Trained, a nonprofit certifying AI companies that obtain licenses for their training data, expressed concerns that the changes would primarily benefit AI companies while causing significant harm to creators. He argued that some changes are misleading, as a copyright exception would legalize training on copyrighted work without a license, which is currently illegal. Owen Meredith, chief executive of the News Media Association, also criticized the consultation in a December 17 statement, arguing that it fails to address the core issue of enforcing robust transparency requirements to protect creatives' rights. He contended that the proposals would complicate the law and allow AI firms to evade responsibilities. Meredith suggested that instead of proposing unworkable systems like 'rights reservations' or 'opt-out' regimes, the government should focus on implementing transparency requirements within the existing copyright framework.

According to PANews, Chris Dixon, founder and managing partner of a16z crypto, has highlighted the transformative impact of artificial intelligence (AI) on the current internet economy. He notes that AI is not only disrupting existing models but also reinforcing the dominance of major tech companies. This shift is accompanied by challenges such as deepfake technology and fake accounts, which undermine user trust in online platforms.Dixon suggests that blockchain technology offers a decentralized solution to these issues, empowering users to regain control over the internet. Blockchain provides a transparent and immutable mechanism that can enhance the management of digital assets and creator content ownership. It also plays a crucial role in verifying identities, thereby isolating fake accounts and imposters, and improving authenticity and security through tamper-proof content records.By integrating AI with blockchain technology, there is potential for the internet to remain open, diverse, and innovative, staying true to its original core principles. This combination could effectively address the challenges posed by AI, ensuring a balanced and secure digital environment.

According to Odaily, a special stock sale arrangement between OpenAI and Japan's SoftBank Group will allow approximately 400 current and former OpenAI employees to cash in millions of dollars. Sources familiar with the matter revealed that this tender offer permits certain OpenAI employees and former employees to sell their shares to SoftBank at $210 per share. This transaction enables employees to monetize part of their equity, with the company's valuation having doubled over the past year to $157 billion.SoftBank plans to purchase up to $1.6 billion worth of shares from eligible shareholders, who must have received restricted stock units more than two years ago to participate. Eligible OpenAI shareholders must decide by December 24 whether to sell and how much to sell. OpenAI currently employs over 2,000 people. If the offer is oversubscribed, current OpenAI employees will be prioritized over former employees. Each eligible current employee can cash out up to $10 million. Depending on participation, former employees may not be able to sell the full $10 million in equity, but according to OpenAI's rules, they will be able to cash out at least $2 million worth of stock.Sources indicate that OpenAI has stated the total amount of stock eligible for sale is $2 billion. With SoftBank agreeing to purchase $1.6 billion, this leaves potentially $400 million worth of stock without a buyer.

According to PANews, OpenAI has announced the official release of its o1 model API during the ninth day of its technology sharing live stream. This release includes significant upgrades to the real-time API, incorporating WebRTC support and reducing costs by 60%. The o1 model is equipped with advanced reasoning capabilities, supporting function calls, structured output, and visual features. Compared to its preview version, the thinking cost has been reduced by 60%. In addition to these enhancements, the cost of GPT-4o audio has decreased by 60%, and the price of the mini version has been reduced to one-tenth of its original cost. OpenAI has also introduced a new preference fine-tuning method, utilizing a direct preference optimization algorithm to better align the model with user and developer preferences. Furthermore, developers can now use newly added Go and Java SDKs, making it easier to integrate OpenAI's functionalities into their applications.

According to Odaily, Stanford University's 'Future of Digital Currency Initiative' (FDCI) has announced a groundbreaking research partnership with Eliza Labs, the creators of the open-source Eliza agent framework. This collaboration aims to explore how autonomous AI agents could transform digital currency systems. The partnership is set to commence in the first quarter of 2025, combining Stanford's expertise in digital currency research with Eliza Labs' cutting-edge capabilities in autonomous agent development. This collaboration marks the establishment of the first AI x Web3 laboratory within Stanford's 'Future of Digital Currency Initiative.' The program will focus on open-source frameworks for trust mechanisms, scalable coordination protocols, and decentralized governance models for agents. Early research findings are expected to be shared through peer-reviewed publications and industry demonstrations. This initiative represents a significant step in understanding and developing the intersection of AI and digital currency, potentially paving the way for innovative solutions in the financial technology sector.

According to Cointelegraph, the Australian government is set to develop a National AI Capability Plan aimed at enhancing the country's artificial intelligence industry. This initiative comes as Australia seeks to improve its competitiveness in the rapidly expanding AI sector. Ed Husic, the Minister for Industry and Science, announced on December 16 that the plan will explore strategies to bolster the AI ecosystem by upskilling the workforce, attracting investment, and fostering innovation.Husic emphasized the importance of leveraging AI expertise to secure supply chains and strengthen critical infrastructure. He stated that the government will collaborate closely with firms, communities, and workers to drive investment in AI capabilities. As part of the review process, the government agency will assess existing state and federal support mechanisms to determine their impact on the AI industry. Additionally, the review will focus on increasing AI literacy and enhancing the local workforce through training and re-training, while also identifying research and innovation opportunities across universities and businesses.The Australian Government Department of Industry, Science and Resources reports that the country currently hosts approximately 650 AI companies. AI and automation are projected to contribute hundreds of billions annually to Australia's GDP by 2030. The National AI Capability Plan is expected to be completed by the end of 2025, following a period of targeted and public consultation. However, some industry experts argue that the timeline is too lengthy for the fast-evolving sector, which Statista predicts could reach $826 billion globally by 2030.Simon Bush, CEO of the Australian Information Industry Association (AIIA), expressed that while the National AI Capability Plan is a positive step, the timeline should be accelerated. He suggested that the review deadline be moved to July 2025, as the current schedule could delay funding until at least 2027, which he considers too long for the rapidly advancing AI landscape. Bush noted that Australia has been slow to adopt AI across its economy compared to global standards due to concerns and fears surrounding adoption. He emphasized the need for a balanced approach that ensures AI regulation and safeguards protect citizens while also supporting AI innovation, investment, and adoption.

According to BlockBeats, on December 16, SlowMist founder Yu Jian highlighted a noticeable divergence in the development paths of AI agents within the crypto and non-crypto industries.In the crypto sector, the focus is primarily on creating incentive mechanisms through the issuance of tokens. This approach aims to leverage blockchain technology to enhance engagement and participation within the ecosystem. The crypto industry seeks to incentivize users and developers by utilising tokens, fostering a community-driven environment that encourages innovation and collaboration. This token-centric strategy is seen as a way to align the interests of various stakeholders and drive the adoption of AI technologies in decentralized applications.Conversely, traditional tech giants are making significant strides in developing interoperability protocols and practical AI applications. These companies are concentrating on creating seamless integration between different systems and platforms, enhancing the utility and accessibility of AI technologies. By focusing on interoperability, tech giants aim to break down silos and enable AI solutions to work across diverse environments, thereby increasing their applicability and effectiveness. This approach emphasizes the practical deployment of AI, ensuring that it can be utilized in a wide range of real-world scenarios, from enterprise solutions to consumer applications.The divergence in these development paths underscores the differing priorities and strategies of the crypto and tech sectors. While the crypto industry is driven by the potential of decentralized finance and community engagement, traditional tech companies are leveraging their resources and expertise to push the boundaries of AI technology and its integration into everyday life. This contrast highlights the dynamic nature of AI development and the varied approaches to harness its potential across different industries.