OpenAI’s Mira Murati shared that the first time her mother used ChatGPT, she asked, “When will Mira get married?”. 

In a recent interview at Cannes Lion 2024, Murati recalled that when she first introduced her mother to ChatGPT in 2022, she was with her sister in Italy. She explained to her mother that she could ask any question she wanted,even in Albanian. Her mother’s first question to ChatGPT was about Mira’s marriage. To this, Mira’s sister humorously responded, “Mom, it’s not magic, it’s artificial intelligence”.

“She was having such a natural interaction with it that she thought she could ask anything,” said Murati. 

Paytm founder Vijay Shekhar Sharma took to X and said, “#MomsEverywhere.”

#MomsEverywhere https://t.co/8bIcdVYFlE

— Vijay Shekhar Sharma (@vijayshekhar) September 3, 2024

“didn’t know she was Indian,” quipped a user on X. 

Another user humorously remarked, “The most Albanian mother interaction ever. Recalling OpenAI’s leadership transition when Mira Murati was appointed Interim CEO during the Sam Altman kerfuffle, the user shared,”I told my mom, “Look, an Albanian woman is the CEO of one of the most innovative companies in the world.”

His mother’s response? “Message her, ask her on a date, and for a job.”

The most Albanian mother interaction ever.

During @OpenAI's Sam kerfuffle where Mira was appointed Interim CEO, I told my mom "look an Albanian woman is the CEO of one of the most innovative companies in the world."

She Replied:
Message her asking her on a date & for a job. https://t.co/uZ5niCpg7a

— Ar₿en (@arben777) September 3, 2024

Since joining OpenAI in 2018, Murati has been instrumental in leading the development of ChatGPT, DALL-E, and the GPT series. Her leadership has been recognised by industry leaders, including Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, for her ability to blend technical expertise with a deep appreciation for OpenAI’s mission of responsible AI development.

Murati briefly served as interim CEO of OpenAI in November 2023, following the unexpected removal of Sam Altman. Her tenure as interim CEO was short-lived, as Emmett Shear replaced her three days later, and Altman was reinstated five days after his removal. 

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During a recent podcast at Johns Hopkins University, Mira Murati, the chief technology officer of OpenAI, acknowledged the criticism that ChatGPT has received for being overly liberal and emphasised that this bias was unintentional. 

“We’ve been very focused on reducing political bias in the model behaviour. ChatGPT was criticised for being overly liberal, and we’re working really hard to reduce those biases,” said Murati. 

However, no specific details or measures on the redressal efforts have been provided yet. This is all part of their ongoing effort to improve the model and make it more balanced and fair.

However, in an interview back in March, Murati was asked where the video data that was used to train Sora came from. The CTO feigned ignorance, claiming to not know the answer, making her the talk of the town on social media.

Netizens were quick to create memes highlighting her as “an absolute PR disaster”.

OpenAI Needs No Safety Lessons

OpenAI has a history of bad PR, but it knows how to turn a crisis into an opportunity. In a previous discussion moderated at Dartmouth, Murati focused on safety, usability, and reducing biases to democratise creativity and free up humans for higher-level tasks.

In a recent post on X, she said that to make sure these technologies are developed and used in a way that does the most good and the least harm, they work closely with red-teaming experts from the early stages of research.

“You have to build them alongside the technology and actually in a deeply embedded way to get it right. And for capabilities and safety, they’re actually not separate domains. They go hand in hand,” she added.

Notably, her optimism on AI stems from the belief that developing smarter and more secure systems will lead to safer and more beneficial outcomes for the future. However, she is now facing questions about ChatGPT’s perceived liberal bias.

Meanwhile, OpenAI’s former chief scientist Ilya Sutskever launched Safe Superintelligence shortly after leaving the company in May 2024, allegedly due to disagreements with CEO Sam Altman over AGI safety and advancement.

In an apparent response to this and to ward off safety concerns, OpenAI formed a Safety and Security Committee led by directors Bret Taylor, Adam D’Angelo, Nicole Seligman, and Altman.

Murati to the Rescue 

In a July 2023 discussion with Microsoft CTO Kevin Scott, Murati expressed concerns about the prevailing uncertainty in the AI field, emphasising the need for clear guidance and decision-making processes. 

She highlighted the challenge of determining which aspects of AI to prioritise, develop, release, and position effectively. “When we began building GPT more than five years ago, our primary focus was the safety of AI systems,” said Murati.

Highlighting the risks of letting humans directly set goals for AI systems—due to the potential for complex, opaque processes to cause serious errors or unintended consequences—Murati and her team shifted their focus to using RLHF to ensure AI’s safe and effective development.

Briefly, after GPT-3 was developed and released in the API, OpenAI was able to integrate AI safety into real-world systems for the first time.

An Accidental PR 

Murati’s acknowledgement of ChatGPT’s perceived liberal bias and her emphasis that this bias was unintentional represent a significant and positive step towards the responsible use of AI. 

Her addressing criticisms openly demonstrates a commitment to transparency and accountability, which are crucial for the ethical development of technology. 

Murati’s approach not only seeks to rectify past concerns but also underscores a proactive stance on refining AI systems to better serve diverse user needs. This openness fosters trust and shows that OpenAI is dedicated to addressing issues constructively. 

Murati’s tryst with responsible AI is not new-found. In a 2021 interview, she discussed AI’s potential for harm, emphasising that unmanaged technology could lead to serious ethical and safety concerns. Some critics argued that Murati’s comments were too alarmist or did not fully acknowledge the positive potential of AI. 

While Murati aimed to promote responsible AI, the backlash led to broader debates on the technology’s future and its societal impacts.

Not to forget the ‘OpenAI is nothing without its people’ campaign started by Murati during Sam Altman’s ousting. One thing is for sure: Murati is truly mysterious, and no one knows what she’s going to say next to the media. We are not complaining! 

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In a recent interview, OpenAI CTO Mira Murati said that the models the company uses in its labs are not far behind those currently available to the public.

Speaking on the release of GPT-4o, she said that it was a massive deal for OpenAI to be able to make this kind of technology accessible to the public. “I don’t think there is enough emphasis on how unique that is for the stage where the technology is today.

“In the sense that inside the labs, we have these capable models and they’re not that far ahead of what the public has free access to. That’s a completely different trajectory for bringing technology into the world than what we’ve seen historically,” she said.

This brings up an interesting point of how, while many AI startups struggle to survive past their early stages, it is still possible to rise up, much like OpenAI did in the last few years.

While Murati’s point is specifically about OpenAI’s ability to make advanced models widely available, she also emphasised that this is to ensure that the general public is fully aware of how the technology is progressing.

“It’s a great opportunity because it brings people along; it gives them an intuitive sense of the capabilities and risks. The opportunities are huge now,” she said. Murati’s stance implies that startups are not far behind in terms of the technology needed to develop advanced AI systems.

Behind OpenAI’s Success

OpenAI is widely regarded as an AI success story. Initially founded as a non-profit towards the goal of developing beneficial AGI, the company quickly rose through the ranks of the startup world to become a household name.

However, there were several factors that helped OpenAI gain the attention it did. Namely, access to funding as well as a large talent pool, allowed the startup to focus largely on quality research.

One of the key points to remember about OpenAI is that its big break with ChatGPT came only a few years after the company received a $1 billion investment from Microsoft. Additionally, the timing was near perfect, as they had focused their attention on the development of Transformer models, shortly after the release of the 2017 paper, ‘Attention is All You Need’.

Of course, it’s key to note that all of these factors rely on ensuring that your problem statement is one that can result in something ground-breaking. 

What Needs to Be Done?

Murati’s implication that AI models are much more widely available now than ever before, means that startups need to try harder to stand out. OpenAI appeared as a pioneer in making an easy-to-use AI product widely available to the public for free. However, only years later, doing the same doesn’t have the same impact anymore.

In India, several startups have managed to make a splash, albeit not as big as OpenAI’s. Successful Indian startups like Krutrim, Kissan and Sarvam have been able to leverage gaps between the AI revolution and use cases specific to India, allowing them to break ground as pioneers in the country.

Being able to identify certain gaps and plug them in a way that ensures a startup’s continuity is a tough task. This is especially true as rapid advancements from bigger companies mean that startups with a poorly thought-out plan and product find themselves obsolete almost overnight.

With the proper resources, however, this can be remedied. One must keep in mind that OpenAI’s ability to get ahead of the curve was solely due to a team of researchers that tried to leverage then-unexplored technology for use among the general public.

AI advancements mean that a lot more students and professionals are pivoting towards studying AI, thereby creating a large talent pool, especially in India. Besides, with startup funding increasing exponentially, it seems that the only roadblock now is trying to find a way to stand out in a sea of problem statements.

However, as Murati said, “If you can push human knowledge forward, you can push society and civilisation forward.”

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What a time to be alive. Now that Sam Altman is back as the CEO of OpenAI, after getting fired on Friday, then joining Microsoft on Sunday evening, there are a lot of questions about what actually transpired before the firing happened. It also looks like it was Altman’s plan all along.

The idea was to change the board

All of the recent developments hint towards a simple thing that the OpenAI board members were clearly not aligned with the for-profit direction that OpenAI was headed towards under Altman’s leadership. The old board members such as Helen Tomer had major contentions with what Altman was doing.

Toner wrote a paper titled ‘Decoding Intentions’ that was critical of OpenAI, and was praising Anthropic. The paper said that Anthropic’s willingness to not release its AI models is “exactly the kind of frantic corner-cutting that the release of ChatGPT appeared to spur.” 

She further praised Anthropic for investing more into AI safety than OpenAI. People on X criticise her views, saying it sounds more like an opinion piece than a research paper. Simply put, she wanted to kill OpenAI to save humanity. She reached scarily close. 

Interestingly, Toner was quiet during all the debacle. She posted on X after Altman is hired back with, “and now, we all get some sleep.” It might be a far fetched idea to say that it was Toner who started the coup against Altman, but there is still a chance.

Not just Altman, Microsoft chief Satya Nadella, has previously expressed his disappointment with the former board, saying, “We are encouraged by the changes to the OpenAI board. We believe this is a first essential step on a path to more stable, well-informed, and effective governance.”

“Sam, Greg, and I have talked and agreed they have a key role to play along with the OpenAI leadership team in ensuring OpenAI continues to thrive and build on its mission. We look forward to building on our strong partnership and delivering the value of this next generation of AI to our customers and partners” he added in his statement. 

Sam loved the weekend

Altman has posted on X saying, “I love OpenAI, and everything I’ve done over the past few days has been in service of keeping this team and its mission together.” He added that he wants to continue working with the new board of OpenAI and also build a strong partnership with Microsoft. Interestingly, Microsoft is also going to be an observant part of the new board.

Seemingly, Altman loves everything that happened over the past few days, and it was in service of keeping the team together. It is quite worrisome to say the least, given all the chaos that was created. 

On the other hand, as soon as Altman was fired, the whole team showed solidarity, and started to force the board to resign. Interestingly enough, Ilya Sutskever, who broke the news to Altman, also switched sides later, and apologised publicly for harming OpenAI. He also signed the petition along with Mira Murati and 10 others for resignation of the board.

With 95% of the employees ready to quit unless Altman comes back, there was no other option left for the company to do apart from changing the board members. It all worked out how Sam wanted it to. Now everyone would be back, without the old OpenAI board. 

The problem with the structure of OpenAI is that it is very twisted. A non-profit board controls the for-profit entity of the company. So even though Altman was not taking any salary from OpenAI, maybe he changed his mind now. Furthermore, the new board that comes along now would also be in favour of what Altman wants. 

What did Sam get?

Firstly, it is reasonable to say that Altman has always been an investor, and thus there is very little reason to believe that the altruistic approach of saving humanity with AI is actually the case, and not just a charade. Even if it is, he believes in a for-profit approach towards AGI, which is unlike the other former board members.

Secondly, Altman always knew that the board could fire him and he should not be trusted, as he said in an interview. Moreover, Elon Musk said six months ago, “At any point Microsoft could cut off OpenAI.”

Combining that with Nadella’s point of view in all of this, who is the biggest investor in OpenAI, and has massive belief in Altman, the plan started as soon as Altman got fired. 

Even while considering that the firing on Friday was a surprise to Altman and Nadella, they must have shook hands that it is time for the board to go. Altman was never going to be a part of Microsoft and work under some other leadership, or start any other ventures, it was all just to scare the OpenAI board members, and the team helped in it.

But Adam D’Angelo, one of the board members that voted for firing Altman, is still part of the new board. Moreover, the damage done to Microsoft and the investors is just collateral damage for Altman.

Interestingly, Altman and Greg Brockman are still not going to be part of the board. Moreover, Altman has also agreed for an internal investigation to find out why he was fired. So all has not worked out in their favour. The new board will review the circumstances of Altman’s firing.

Shear was right when he said, “Sam is a great sales guy.” It might be just his plan all along.

The post It Was Sam’s Plan All Along appeared first on AIM.

Two days after revealing the plans of GPT 5, OpenAI has revealed that the company has fired Sam Altman from his position as CEO and board member. The decision, announced in an official blog post, emerged after a board review citing Altman’s inconsistent communication, which hindered the board’s ability to fulfill its responsibilities.

Mira Murati, previously the Chief Technology Officer (CTO), assumes the interim CEO position, emphasising continuity amidst this leadership transition.

In a statement, the board of directors said: “OpenAI was deliberately structured to advance our mission: to ensure that artificial general intelligence benefits all humanity. The board remains fully committed to serving this mission. We are grateful for Sam’s many contributions to the founding and growth of OpenAI. At the same time, we believe new leadership is necessary as we move forward. As the leader of the company’s research, product, and safety functions, Mira is exceptionally qualified to step into the role of interim CEO. We have the utmost confidence in her ability to lead OpenAI during this transition period.”

OpenAI’s board of directors consists of OpenAI chief scientist Ilya Sutskever, independent directors Quora CEO Adam D’Angelo, technology entrepreneur Tasha McCauley, and Georgetown Center for Security and Emerging Technology’s Helen Toner.

As a part of this transition, the departure of Altman, a key figure in OpenAI’s founding, coincides with Greg Brockman stepping down as board chairman while retaining his role as the company’s president.

The board emphasised the necessity for new leadership aligned with OpenAI’s mission of ensuring artificial general intelligence benefits humanity. Despite Altman’s significant contributions, the board expressed a loss of confidence in his ability to steer the organisation.

This unexpected change arrived shortly after OpenAI’s recent DevDay conference, where Altman actively participated. His departure triggers curiosity about its connection to the company’s intricate governance structure, notably the relationship between its nonprofit and for-profit arms.

OpenAI’s nonprofit arm wields substantial control over its for-profit subsidiary, OpenAI Global, LLC, which focuses on commercialising AI while aligning with the nonprofit’s mission of achieving artificial general intelligence. The board’s authority includes determining AGI achievements and regulating associated commercial terms, including partnerships with major investors like Microsoft.

This shift in leadership has left questions lingering about the specific circumstances surrounding Altman’s removal, reflecting a pivotal moment in OpenAI’s trajectory as it navigates a critical phase in the AI landscape.

However, alongside Altman, Alex Cohen was also fired from the team. In Cohen’s words, he was the person “in charge of putting together the presentations for our board meetings”. Within 20 minutes of posting the life update on X, Cohen joined Roofer.com as lead AI researcher. Roofer.com is a San Francisco based company that provides modern roofing experience for homeowners and enterprise property owners nationwide leveraging the efficiency of drones and the power of AI.

Read more: Meet Mira Murati, the 35-year old CTO of OpenAI

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In Part-1, we saw the big boys of Silicon Valley falling over each other, trying to create a signature style of their own. Think premium black leather jackets, sharp business suits, over-the-top cowboy hats, customised grey t-shirts, sunglasses, polo t-shirts in pastel colours, and snazzy shoes. 

Moving on to form-flattering V-neck dresses, pencil skirts, sleek jewellery, blazers, floral shirts and killer stilettos  — the women in tech sure know how to make a statement both in and out of the boardroom. Today, we bring to you the seven most-influential women tech leaders who are acing the fashion game. So, whether you’re a techie looking to up your fashion game or just someone in need of inspiration, we’ve got you covered.

Read more: 7 Most Influential Tech Leaders in Style [Part 1]

Marissa Mayer 

Marissa Mayer, the co-founder of software company Sunshine and former president of Yahoo, is widely recognised as a fashion icon in the workplace. She is a valued customer of luxury fashion brands, such as Oscar de la Renta and Alexander McQueen, and has expressed to the LA Times the importance of showcasing that being an engineer does not require sacrificing one’s sense of femininity. 

Mayer is known for her distinctive dressing style, which includes gorgeous gowns for special occasions and vibrant patterned dresses paired with cardigans for more casual occasions. Additionally, she favours fashion designers such as Carolina Herrera, Nina Ricci, and Jonathan Saunders.

Sheryl Sandberg: Former chief operating officer of Meta Sheryl Sandberg is recognised for her bias for V-neck jackets, dresses and light shrugs. The tech billionaire dresses pragmatically, opting for clothing that conveys power, experience, and superiority, akin to her male colleagues during important occasions. 

Although not much is known about the brands she prefers, Sandberg favours body-hugging dresses, heels of moderate height, and solid colours in the blue-red-purple spectrum, while abstaining from yellow, pink, and patterns, and only adorns herself with her collection of classy earrings as far as jewellery is concerned.

Susan Wojcicki: Former YouTube chief Susan Wojicicki’s fashion style is anything but boring. Showcasing her refined fashion sense, she combines classic pieces such as leather jackets, blazers, shift dresses, and pencil skirts in bold colours with striking jewellery. Her attire is always tasteful and well-fitted. Dabbling in both high-end designer wear and the affordable ones, Wojcicki presents a sophisticated, professional, and elegant style with a playful touch from her use of bold colours and statement accessories.

Padmasree Warrior: Indian-American founder and chief of software development firm Fable, Padmasree Warrior has always been vocal about the gender disparity within the industry and how it restricts individuals to conform to a common style of attire, namely jeans and hoodies. She has previously spoken about a stereotype that suggests that technically-proficient individuals cannot or should not dress well, for if they do, they would risk appearing to be incompetent. 

However, the Spotify veteran has chosen to disregard this notion and embrace her own unique style. She effortlessly carries herself in a range of attires, from floral summer dresses to traditional silk sarees, and colourful pantsuits, all while maintaining an air of elegance. Additionally, Warrior possesses a stunning collection of stylish and sophisticated jewellery that adds to her overall appearance.

Anjali Sud: Joining the likes of Warrior, we have another successful Indian techie, Anjali Sud, the chief executive officer of Vimeo, who is known for her girl-next-door sartorial choices. Her signature look comprises a middle parting of the hair often left loose and pantsuits in an array of colours, from soft pink to a rich brown. However, she doesn’t limit herself to pantsuits and enjoys experimenting with short floral dresses and traditional Indian clothing as well.

Safra Catz: The chief of Oracle, Safra Ada Catz is a powerhouse in the boardroom, and her unique style too, is all about power. She exudes a sense of elegance and sophistication with her tailored suits and dresses that are always perfectly fitted. She uses muted hues like navy, grey, and black, combining them with sleek jewellery like a pearl necklace or hoop earrings — and there, she has everyone’s attention.

Mira Murati: The final member of our league is OpenAI’s chief technology officer Mira Murati. Another fan of leather jackets like Jensen Huang, Murati keeps it casual with her predominately white and beige tops. Although not much is known about the brands she chooses, Murati can be mostly spotted in nude lip shades and subtle make-up.

Read more: Why Chipmakers are Bullish on Darling China Despite Daddy US

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