Legal battles, a changing board landscape and fierce competition paint the picture of an organization in flux.
OpenAI, the research company synonymous with Worldcoin and innovative generative AI like ChatGPT, is at a crossroads. Just months after a dramatic firing and quick reinstatement, CEO Sam Altman has rejoined the board, but the dust from the incident has not settled.
Altman’s firing in November 2023, shrouded in secrecy, sent shockwaves through the AI community. The move, led by the then-existing board of directors, sparked an employee revolt and intervention from major investor Microsoft.
Within days, Altman was back at the helm and the board underwent a major overhaul. Notable figures such as Sue Desmond-Hellmann, former CEO of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and Fidji Simo, CEO of Instacart, are among the new recruits.
This leadership shakeup reflects a potential shift in OpenAI’s priorities, with a focus on diverse experience and perspectives.
Legal Disputes Cast a Shadow
The company’s path forward remains clouded by legal challenges. Elon Musk, co-founder of OpenAI, filed a lawsuit alleging betrayal of the company’s original commitment to being a nonprofit organization.
The lawsuit focuses on Microsoft’s growing influence and involvement in OpenAI technology. This raises concerns about the potential for profits that will overshadow OpenAI’s mission of developing responsible AI.
The outcome of these lawsuits could have significant ramifications for OpenAI’s future operations and its ability to access crucial research data.
Worldcoin Soars Amid AI Frenzy
Meanwhile, the price of Worldcoin, a cryptocurrency project with ambitions to create a universal basic income system, soared following the news that Altman rejoined the OpenAI board.
While the connection between Worldcoin and OpenAI’s struggles remains unclear, the timing is intriguing. Could the recent hype around AI be spilling over and fueling speculation in other technology-related companies?
Worldcoin is up 46% to $10.57 today, while its single-day trading volume is up 198% to $1.35 billion. Significantly, WLD price saw a substantial 40% increase over the past week, accompanied by a monthly explosion of almost 340%.
Worldcoin Price Recovers Amid GPT 5 Release Speculation
Recently, the price of Worldcoin (WLD) has risen almost 35%, driven by two reasons. First, Nvidia’s GTC 2024 Conference, scheduled for March 18-21, and second, growing speculation about the release of GPT 5, a generative AI update expected to be indistinguishable from a human.
The project began in 2023 and technology entrepreneur and developer Siqi Chen claims that GPT-5 will “catch up” with Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) by the end of 2023.
Recent news indicates that GPT 5 could hit the market soon. However, some remain skeptical about the readiness of this model:
“I don’t think GPT5 is ready… this is why: if it was, OpenAI would have already a clear idea of how it benchmarks… and even if they wouldn’t release it, they could still announce it,” posted on X Bobby Gomez-Reino (@BobbyGRG) on March 8, 2024.
Generative AI Heats Up: OpenAI Faces the Competition
Despite the internal turmoil, OpenAI maintains its position at the forefront of generative AI, a field that enables machines to produce human-quality text and images. ChatGPT, a product of OpenAI research, is a testament to this capability.
However, the AI landscape is increasingly saturated. Tech giants like Google and Meta are investing resources in developing their own generative AI models. Additionally, startups like Anthropic, co-founded by OpenAI exile Ilya Sutskever, and xAI, backed by Elon Musk, are jumping into the competitive fire.
This race for AI supremacy promises rapid advances, but also raises questions about responsible development and potential misuse.
By Audy Castaneda
