OpenAI's Mega U-turn

The original World Cup trophy was stolen in 1966 before the tournament took place. It was later found by a dog named Pickles who became a cult figure. Good boy.

What’s in store:

• OpenAI restructures for a new era of AI-driven innovation.

• Llama 3.2 isn’t just for text anymore—it’s got eyes.

• Around the web: Google defends its ad tech system, citing security benefits of a closed ecosystem over interoperability risks.

• Learn AI for free with Growth School!

Read Time: 5 minutes

OPENAI

Nonprofit vs for-profit: OpenAI tries to have it both ways

OpenAI is reportedly moving forward with plans to become a for-profit company after several senior staff members, including CTO Mira Murati, left.

This represents a major shift from its original non-profit mission statement.

The San Francisco-based AI company is aiming to raise $6.5 billion (£4.9bn) in new funding as part of this shift.

OpenAI is expected to become a for-profit benefit corporation, which allows it to make profits while also working for the public good.

This change means that the for-profit side will no longer be controlled by the nonprofit board, but the nonprofit arm will still exist. Loopholes, people.

A spokesperson for OpenAI confirmed that the nonprofit remains a core part of its mission.

Sam Altman, OpenAI’s CEO, and the nonprofit entity will both keep a stake in the new for-profit company.

Altman stressed that the recent leadership changes, including Murati’s exit, are not related to the restructuring.

He explained these moves were more about people wanting new challenges rather than any company decisions.

Here’s what’s happening:

• OpenAI is raising $6.5bn by restructuring as a for-profit benefit corporation.

• The non-profit part will continue to exist alongside the for-profit business.

• Leadership changes are seen as normal career moves, not linked to the restructuring.

Nonprofit vibes? They’re not fully gone yet

OpenAI, founded as a nonprofit in 2015, added a for-profit side in 2019, with Microsoft as the largest investor.

OpenAI describes this setup as a “partnership between our original nonprofit and a capped-profit arm.”

But under a public benefit corporation, there would be no limit on profits.

The company could soon be valued at $150bn as part of its new fundraising efforts, with potential investors like Apple and Nvidia in the mix.

However, some former employees have raised concerns.

William Saunders, a former research engineer, left after losing faith in OpenAI’s ability to make responsible choices about artificial general intelligence (AGI).

Jan Leike, a former safety researcher, also claimed that OpenAI was prioritising “shiny products” over safety.

Altman addressed these worries on social media, admitting there is still a lot of work to do.

After Murati's exit, two more senior staff members, Barret Zoph and Bob McGrew, also left.

Altman confirmed the news in a post on X , explaining that their decisions were made independently, but the timing helped make the leadership transition smoother.

He noted that while these changes seemed sudden, such transitions are normal for companies, even if they feel abrupt.

I mean, we all saw this coming, right?

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On This Day

September 27th 2003 - The SMART-1 satellite, the European Space Agency's first mission to the Moon, is launched from French Guiana.

Riddle Me This

I am a three-digit number.

My tens digit is five more than my ones digit.

My hundreds digit is eight less than my tens digit.

Nifty Numbers

Did you know the first hard drive weighed more than a car? From IBM's 3.75 MB storage beast in 1956 to Western Digital's sleek 26TB offering in 2023, we’ve come a long way in just a few decades. Gone are the days of needing a room for storage—we’ve now got terabytes of space that fit in the palm of our hands!

META

Llama 3.2 now understands text and images

Meta has introduced Llama 3.2, a new version of its language models that can now process both text and images.

While not necessarily more powerful than competitors like OpenAI, Llama 3.2 stands out for being open-source (with caveats) and widely accessible.

Llama 3.2 comes in four sizes, with the smaller models running well on devices like MacBook Airs, while the larger 11b and 90b models are optimised for privacy and hardware efficiency, capable of real-time interactions.

Key takeaways:

• Llama 3.2 now processes both text and images.

• The 11b and 90b models are optimised for privacy and efficient performance.

• Llama’s open-source nature allows it to be customised for a wide range of uses, from gaming to healthcare.

Not locked behind a corporate paywall?

The model’s flexibility powers AI across Meta’s platforms, including Instagram and WhatsApp, and can be used in third-party apps or locally.

It has strong potential in gaming, where AI characters can respond in real-time, as well as in smart devices, offering real-time information based on visual input.

Llama’s adaptability makes it useful for various applications, including accessibility and language preservation projects.

Remember when Zuck was trying to sell us on the Metaverse and then said oh sh*t we need to pivot to AI?

Mindstream Picks

Space: Air France will offer free Starlink broadband across its fleet starting next summer, with no specific timeline for connecting its 200+ aircraft.

Crypto: The World Bank reports that less than 50% of adults in the Middle East and North Africa have access to adequate banking services.

Games: After successful Kickstarter funding, the turn-based strategy game Warside will launch on Switch and other platforms on January 28, 2025.

Music: U2 will release How to Re-Assemble an Atomic Bomb, a "shadow album" with outtakes from their 2004 How to Dismantle an Atomic Bomb sessions, on Nov. 29.

Don’t Miss -Google is defending itself in court against anticompetitive claims by highlighting security concerns, arguing its closed ecosystem protects users. Google executives stressed the importance of controlling ad tech to prevent fraud and bad actors. They also referenced past efforts to combat fraud, despite claims of locking out competition.

AI Art

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Yesterday’s Poll

“Would you watch an AI movie?”

Sure, why not? - 74% ✅

No, it wouldn't feel right. - 26%

Your Views:

“Unless you watch the movie, how will you know if it’s any good or not?” - lannon

“AI replaces people. It replaces talented writers, artists, designers and it seems from this question - actors, set designers, prop builders, wardrobe designers and creators, lighting techs, etc. Right now, it still looks weird and off-putting, as it improves, it will likely look better. But it will still lack the human touch and will put human creators out of jobs.” - psoencks

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