The reasons behind the firing of OpenAI’s CEO last week are beginning to emerge. And this all sounds like a real science fiction scenario. A powerful AI model, threatening humanity, and created by several OpenAI researchers, would be the cause of the affair.
According to The Information, a group of OpenAI researchers sent a letter to the board of directors a few days ago, mentioning the existence of super-powerful generalized artificial intelligence (AGI). The letter was sent shortly before the meeting that resulted in Sam Altman’s firing.
According to the article, the AI model is called Q*, pronounced “Q Star”. This AI would evolve dozens of times faster than existing models. The researchers say they were shocked by its performance after testing the model’s mathematical capabilities.
Q* is very different
Generative AI, such as ChatGPT, generates content by predicting the next word based on statistics and probability. And it can only provide results in the context of learning from the data. Concretely, this means that AI cannot answer questions about data it does not know.
But it seems that Q* is very different. This AI can understand and solve computer problems without learning additional data. This is why it is able to solve new computing problems that are not included in the data set it has ingested. Concretely, like a human, this AI can apply its existing knowledge to solve new problems.
To the layman, this ability may seem simple. But for AI researchers, this is a technological breakthrough. “Q-Star’s ability to solve math problems on its own is a sign that we are getting closer to AGI,” explains The Verge.
Vigilance regarding the pace of development
In their letter, the researchers warned the board that “the Q-Star model could be used as a system powerful enough to destroy humanity” and that it should be “vigilant about the pace of development.”
“OpenAI can lift the veil of the unknown and push the limits of technological progress” Sam Altman declared the same week at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, shortly before being fired, adding that he was “honored to lead the company at this time in its history.”
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Source: “ZDNet Korea”